The U.S. meatpacking industry is on edge as it braces for potential fallout from President-elect Donald Trump's proposed mass deportations.
While many in the industry supported Trump financially during his reelection bid, they are now concerned about how the loss of foreign-born labor could disrupt their operations.
The meatpacking sector is heavily reliant on immigrant labor, with some estimates suggesting that 30% to 50% of the workforce may be undocumented. Despite disputes from some industry groups, there is no denying that migrant workers play a critical role in keeping the supply chain running.
Ethan Lane, vice president of the National Cattlemen's Beef Association, highlighted the industry's ongoing struggle with labor shortages. "No one's going to tell you there's a bigger challenge in the meat supply chain than labor," Lane told Axios.
The fear is that mass deportations, a promise of the new administration, could remove a significant portion of the workforce, leading to disruptions.
Alice Driver, author of Life and Death of the American Worker, which explores the lives of undocumented meatpacking workers, warned that even the mere threat of deportations could prompt workers to flee or stop showing up, sparking a crisis in packing plants nationwide.
"It's going to hit companies hard, it's going to hit consumers hard, because let's find out, who's going to take on that work?" Driver said.
The situation is especially critical in rural areas, where packing plants are often the largest employers.
In Greeley, Colorado, for instance, the JBS meatpacking plant employs about 5,000 people or roughly 4% of the local population.
Kim Cordova, president of UFCW Local 7, which represents workers at the plant, said that mass deportations could "kill the industry."
She added that removing immigrants from the workforce would make it impossible to run packing houses.
As labor shortages continue to challenge the industry, rising meat prices also add to the pressure.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that prices for staple meats, such as chicken and beef, are already at or near 20-year highs. The impact of a workforce crisis on the availability of meat could worsen these trends.
This is despite most packing and slaughter jobs paying, on average, less than $20 an hour, according to government data.
With both the industry and consumers in mind, some stakeholders are now calling for immigration reform that could provide protections for workers.
For instance, Cordova is working on scheduling a meeting with Colorado Gov. Jared Polis and other elected leaders to advocate for "some extra layer of protection for these workers.", as reported by Axios.
