Experts and ranchers react to Biden's $1 billion plan for meatpackers

WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — President Joe Biden announced Monday that the administration will make a $1 billion investment to help farmers and ranchers when it comes to processing their livestock, by giving them options other than giant companies.

George Bachman is the owner of JB Ranch located southwest of Augusta. He says there are several issues ranchers like him are facing as we start the new year.

“The increase in costs and fuel and especially labor. Labor is really hard to find right now. Besides fuel costs and labor costs, is really the bottleneck at the producer level.”

KSN Agricultural Expert John Jenkinson says many are questioning how much the $1 billion amount is going to help, “$1 billion is a lot of money, but spread out to the whole United States to all of the independent packing companies really may not go far enough to bring down the food prices.”

Bachman is among the many that are skeptical of the government’s helping hand.

“Really, I don’t agree with helicoptering cash and having the government more involved in the process,” explained Bachman. “That seems kind of like what got us in this mess in the first place.”

Jenkinson spoke with several feedlot managers about what they hope the Biden administration can help with, and it mirrors many of Bachman’s issues.

“What needs to be done, in their minds, is something done about transportation, labor, insurance, and costly regulation.”

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