Two weeks ago, we asked you to “Tell Congress: No more COVID-19-contaminated factory farm slaughterhouses!”
Members of Congress listened!
On May Day, Reps. Annie Kuster (D-N.H.), Jeff Fortenberry (R-Neb.) and Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) introduced legislation to help small farmers during the COVID-19 crisis by, among other things, making it easier for them to get grants to process grass-fed and pasture-raised meat.
As COVID-19 outbreaks shut down factory farm slaughterhouses across the U.S., producers of organic regenerative pasture-raised and grass-fed meat are trying to fill the void.
But for small farmers, getting their meat processed is challenging. Consolidation in the industrial meat sector, dominated by four Big Meat companies, has (intentionally) led to too few local and regional processing facilities.
It’s time to rebuild a decentralized, resilient and regenerative food system. Helping small farmers get access to local meat processing facilities is one way to help get us there.