The U.S. meat and poultry directly industry employs nearly 800,000 essential workers across the country who work hard to produce the most affordable, abundant, varied meat supply in the world. Moreover, our industry is an economic engine that has a $1 trillion impact on the U.S. economy.

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 our 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 that supply us and consumers themselves benefit from our efficient operations and the collaboration that exists between farmers, ranchers and processors.

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