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Is it a Jungle Out There?: Meat Packing, Immigrants and Rural Communities

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  • Artz, Georgeanne M.
  • Jackson, Rebecca
  • Orazem, Peter F.

Abstract

Over the past 35 years, meatpacking plants have moved from urban to rural areas. These plants can represent a significant share of a rural community’s employment. As a traditional employer of immigrants, these plants can also alter significantly the demographic composition of a rural community. These changes have led to numerous controversies regarding whether meatpacking plants impose social or economic costs on their host communities. This study uses comments culled from various media to identify where there exist sharp differences of opinion on how local meatpacking presence affects local language problems, social service expenses, special needs schooling and the mix of foreign- and native-born citizens. These opinions are used to formulate testable hypotheses regarding the true impact of local packing plants on these indicators. The study shows that while meatpacking has had some large impacts on the demographic composition of rural communities, the industry has not imposed large costs in the form of increased provision of social services or special needs schooling.

Suggested Citation

  • Artz, Georgeanne M. & Jackson, Rebecca & Orazem, Peter F., 2008. "Is it a Jungle Out There?: Meat Packing, Immigrants and Rural Communities," Working Papers 48529, Iowa State University, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:ags:genres:48529
    DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.48529
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. James M. MacDonald & Michael E. Ollinger, 2005. "Technology, Labor Wars, and Producer Dynamics: Explaining Consolidation in Beefpacking," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 87(4), pages 1020-1033.
    2. Artz, Georgeanne M. & Orazem, Peter F. & Otto, Daniel M., 2005. "Measuring the Impact of Meat Packing and Processing Facilities in the Nonmetropolitan Midwest: A Difference-in-Differences Approach," ISU General Staff Papers 200511010800001229, Iowa State University, Department of Economics.
    3. Roback, Jennifer, 1982. "Wages, Rents, and the Quality of Life," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 90(6), pages 1257-1278, December.
    4. Leistritz, F. Larry & Sell, Randall S., 2001. "Socioeconomic Impacts of Agricultural Processing Plants," Rural America/ Rural Development Perspectives, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service, vol. 16(1), May.
    5. Georgeanne M. Artz & Peter F. Orazem & Daniel M. Otto, 2007. "Measuring the Impact of Meat Packing and Processing Facilities in Nonmetropolitan Counties: A Difference-in-Differences Approach," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 89(3), pages 557-570.
    6. McGranahan, David A., 1998. "Can Manufacturing Reverse Rural Great Plains Depopulation?," Rural America/ Rural Development Perspectives, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service, vol. 13(1), February.
    7. Edward L. Glaeser & Joshua D. Gottlieb, 2009. "The Wealth of Cities: Agglomeration Economies and Spatial Equilibrium in the United States," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 47(4), pages 983-1028, December.
    8. Wallace HUFFMAN & John A. MIRANOWSKI, 1996. "Immigration, Meat Packing, And Trade: Implications For Iowa," Staff Papers 285, Iowa State University Department of Economics.
    9. Milton Madison & James MacDonald & Michael Ollinger, 2000. "Technological Change and Economies of Scale in U.S. Poultry Slaughter," Working Papers 00-05, Center for Economic Studies, U.S. Census Bureau.
    10. Orazem, Peter F. & Wohlgemuth, Darin & Huang, Tzu-Ling, 2002. "The Causes And Consequences Of Rural Immigrant Population Growth, 1950-1990," 2002 Annual meeting, July 28-31, Long Beach, CA 19750, American Agricultural Economics Association (New Name 2008: Agricultural and Applied Economics Association).
    11. Milton Madison, 2005. "Technological Change and Economies of Scale in U.S. Poultry Processing," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 87(1), pages 116-129.
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    Cited by:

    1. Cho, Seung Jin & Lee, Jun Yeong & Winters, John V., 2020. "COVID-19 Employment Status Impacts on Food Sector Workers," ISU General Staff Papers 202006080700001107, Iowa State University, Department of Economics.
    2. Krumel, Thomas & Goodrich, Corey, 2021. "COVID-19 Working Paper: Meatpacking Working Conditions and the Spread of COVID-19," USDA Miscellaneous 315417, United States Department of Agriculture.
    3. Sneeringer, Stacy E. & Hertz, Thomas, 2010. "Local Effects of Hog Production on Farm and Non-Farm Economic Outcomes," 2010 Annual Meeting, July 25-27, 2010, Denver, Colorado 61463, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    4. A. Ford Ramsey & Barry Goodwin & Mildred Haley, 2021. "Labor Dynamics and Supply Chain Disruption in Food Manufacturing," NBER Chapters, in: Risks in Agricultural Supply Chains, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    5. Grace Melo & Gregory Colson & Octavio A. Ramirez, 2014. "Hispanic American Opinions toward Immigration and Immigration Policy Reform Proposals," Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 36(4), pages 604-622.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Community/Rural/Urban Development;

    JEL classification:

    • N30 - Economic History - - Labor and Consumers, Demography, Education, Health, Welfare, Income, Wealth, Religion, and Philanthropy - - - General, International, or Comparative

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