The House Agriculture Committee considered the state of the livestock industry in a hearing on Thursday. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack testified about the importance of creating a resilient and efficient meat processing system, supporting smaller processors and expanding capacity. “There’s no question we’re short on capacity, which is one of the reasons why it’s more difficult for farmers to get a fair price for what they’re raising.” Funds are available and public comments are being taken on how the programt should be structured. “Hopefully, the by end of the year we have that structure in place so we can start taking applications.” Vilsack said capital, the need for additional workforce and training are significant barriers for meat processing. Watch the hearing.
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