Perham, Minn.-based Lakes Community Cooperative, a processing facility that provides its member owners with multispecies livestock processing services, is doubling its meat processing capacity through a $530,000 grant. U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Sen. Tina Smith (both D-MN), members of the Senate Agriculture Committee, announced the funding Sept. 23, 2024.
Helping smaller, locally owned processing facilities like Lakes Community Cooperative to be competitive in today’s market aims to help lower costs for consumers by spurring competition in an already consolidated meat industry.
“Minnesota’s meat and poultry products help feed the nation and the world,” said Klobuchar. “This new funding will make it easier for the Lakes Community Cooperative to bolster their capacity and get their high quality meats to new markets.”
“A strong meat processing industry is critical to maintaining a stable economy in Minnesota, especially for Minnesota’s farmers,” said Smith. “By doubling the capacity of coops like Lakes Community Cooperative, producers will have another processing option. This helps farmers get a fair value for animals and also helps keep prices down for consumers at the grocery story.”
Four large meat-packing companies control 85% of the beef market. In poultry, the top four processing firms control 54% of the market. And in pork, the top four processing firms control about 70% of the market.
