CONTACT: NAMI: Sarah Little (443) 440-0029

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 14, 2021

WASHINGTON, DC - The North American Meat Institute (Meat Institute) today said the Secretary of Agriculture's transparent attempts to scapegoat the meat and poultry industry to shift blame for inflationary prices will not help consumers.

"The Administration cannot ignore the fundamental principles of supply and demand," said Meat Institute President and CEO Julie Anna Potts. "Americans are experiencing firsthand what the Secretary refuses to acknowledge, the effects of COVID and lack of labor are hurting consumers, and nothing proposed by the Secretary of Agriculture on the structure of the meat and poultry industry will help families struggling to pay for groceries."

After repeated attempts to convey the challenges faced by meat and poultry packers and processors in meeting extraordinary consumer demand to Biden Administration officials, Potts sent the following letter , dated today, to Secretary Vilsack: (for sources and footnotes go here for a PDF of the letter)