US Government Look To Take Meat Processors To Task

Jan 04, 2022

The US government is preparing to do battle with a handful of companies it says holds too much control when it comes to the price of meat and poultry.

President Joe Biden joined by USDA secretary Tom Vilsack, announced a four point plan to bring back competition to the industry and raise the prices that producers receive for their animals. There are groups on this side of the border that are suggesting the Trudeau government should be doing the same.

The US meat institute was quick to issue its' own statement following Biden's meeting on Monday. It says the US government is ignoring the real issue that packing plants and processors in the states are facing and that's a critical labour shortage. That's also an issue here as some plants in eastern Canada have a 40 percent vacancy rate. It's not quite that bad in Alberta, but it's getting there.

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Video: What Does 20 MILLION Hogs a Year Look Like?

?? The Multi-Plant System Processing 20 Million Hogs Annually in the Midwest JBS USA operates multiple large-scale pork processing facilities across the Midwest, including major plants in Iowa, Minnesota, and Indiana. Combined, these facilities have the capacity to process approximately 20 million hogs annually.

Each plant operates high-speed automated slaughter systems capable of processing up to 20,000 head per day, followed by fabrication lines that break carcasses into primals, sub-primals, and case-ready retail products.

Hog procurement is coordinated through electronic marketing platforms that connect regional contract finishing operations and independent producers to plant demand schedules. This digital procurement system allows for steady supply flow and scheduling efficiency across multiple facilities.

Processing plants incorporate comprehensive food safety systems, including pathogen intervention technologies, rapid chilling processes, and integrated cold-chain management. USDA inspection is embedded throughout the harvest and fabrication stages to ensure regulatory compliance and product integrity. Finished pork products — from bulk primals to retail-ready packaged cuts — are distributed through coordinated logistics networks serving domestic and export markets.