USDA says more than $200M will help meat processors expand

 The Agriculture Department announced more than $223 million in grants and loans Wednesday to help small- and mid-sized meat processing plants expand as part of a larger $1 billion effort to boost competition in the highly concentrated industry.

The effort is expected to increase cattle and pig slaughter capacity by more than 500,000 head a year. It will also help poultry plants process nearly 34 million more birds, while adding more than 1,100 jobs mostly in rural areas where the plants are located.

The USDA's announcement, combined with Vilsack's plant tour, comes as President Joe Biden is highlighting his achievements to voters before Tuesday's midterm elections. Several of the administration's recent announcements have targeted rural areas in states that generally support more Republicans than Democrats...MORE