Meat and Poultry Processors Produce Safe, Affordable, Varied and Abundant Meat and Poultry

The U.S. meat and poultry directly industry employs nearly 600,000 workers across the country who work hard to produce the most affordable, abundant, varied meat supply in the world. Meat and poultry processors are an economic engine contributing $57 billion to the U.S. economy, with its largest impact in rural communities.  

Meat and poultry is similar to many other mature industries which operate on a large scale – from airlines to cellular telephones to home appliance and auto manufacturers - in which several large companies are complemented by a large number of small and medium sized firms. Federal reviews of the industry, like the Research Triangle Institute report (pdf), have found it to be dynamic and competitive. Academic analyses have found that meat and poultry companies, the livestock and poultry producers who supply them and consumers themselves benefit from efficient operations and the collaboration that exists between farmers, ranchers and processors.

Periodically , the industry’s structure is criticized by those who prefer a different production model. But given the record of meat and poultry processors providing abundant choices that are safe, affordable and that meet a wide array of consumer preferences under careful government oversight those who understand the business know that “the market works.” Let innovation and competition continue to deliver a meat and poultry supply prized around the world.