Rep. Dusty Johnson re-introduces Butcher Block Act, A-Plus Act to improve and increase competition in the packing industry

RAPID CITY, S.D. – Rep. Dusty Johnson, (R) South Dakota, recently re-introduced two bills to improve and increase competition in the packing industry.

The Butcher Block Act will establish a USDA grant and loan program for new and expanding meat processors, affectively driving competition. Additionally, the A-Plus Act allows for expanded investment to small and local packers.

“I’m not giving up. Frankly, there are some things we need to do to add capacity. We’re not going to have the independent cow calf operator get a fair price for their product until we get more capacity built outside of the big four packers,” Johnson said.

Rep. Johnson says that they want this to be signed into law so there’s something working for producers and small processors.

Rep. Johnson was in Rapid City for the Black Hills Stock Show and Rodeo Rapid City Saturday and had this to say about the event:

“I never miss the stock show,” Johnson said. “This is one of the greatest events in South Dakota. I have more fun here than I have doing just about anything else. I’m home every weekend in South Dakota, but rather than just sitting in my house playing with my kids, I knew that I wanted to be here at the stock show because you see so many people from across the sate. This is the best opportunity for me to learn what’s really going on out in South Dakota.”