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Fact check: Did Biden really cause unnecessary food shortages like throwing out potatoes for no reason, or killing cattle because of covid?

Checked on July 14, 2025

1. Summary of the results

Based on the analyses provided, there is no evidence to support the claims that President Biden caused unnecessary food shortages by throwing out potatoes or killing cattle due to COVID-19. In fact, the evidence points in the opposite direction:

  • The Biden-Harris administration implemented multiple initiatives to reduce food insecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic, including strengthening the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and other food assistance programs [1] [2]
  • The administration announced $2 billion in new funding to strengthen food supply chains that were impacted by the pandemic, specifically supporting small meatpacking plants and local food banks [3]
  • Biden's COVID relief plan was designed to provide economic stimulus through food assistance programs like SNAP and WIC to reduce hardship [2]
  • The administration focused on strengthening America's supply chains, including those related to food and agriculture [4]

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The original question lacks important context about what actually occurred during the Biden administration regarding food policy:

  • Regulatory decisions: The Biden administration rejected calls for tougher regulation of large livestock farms that release pollutants into waterways [5], which may have created tension with environmental groups while potentially benefiting large agricultural operations
  • Environmental regulations: Biden vetoed a bipartisan effort to overturn the 'Waters of the U.S.' regulation, which the National Potato Council opposed [6], suggesting some agricultural interests disagreed with certain environmental policies
  • Supply chain challenges: While the administration worked to address supply chain issues, these were largely pandemic-related disruptions rather than government-caused shortages [3]

The analyses reveal that agricultural industry groups and environmental organizations would have different perspectives on the administration's regulatory approach, with large livestock operations potentially benefiting from less stringent environmental oversight.

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original statement appears to contain significant misinformation:

  • No evidence exists in any of the analyzed sources to support claims about throwing out potatoes or killing cattle due to COVID-19 policies [1] [7] [2] [8] [4] [3]
  • The framing suggests deliberate government waste or harmful policies, when the documented evidence shows the opposite pattern of food assistance and supply chain support [1] [2] [3]
  • The question may be conflating legitimate pandemic-related supply chain disruptions with alleged government misconduct, creating a false narrative about the administration's food policies
  • Political opponents of the Biden administration would benefit from promoting narratives that portray the government as wasteful or harmful to food security, regardless of the actual policy record

The statement appears to be based on unsubstantiated claims rather than documented policy actions, suggesting potential political bias or misinformation designed to damage the administration's reputation on food security issues.

Want to dive deeper?
What were the Biden administration's policies on food waste reduction during the covid pandemic?
How did the covid pandemic affect US potato and cattle farming industries in 2020 and 2021?
Were there any reported instances of unnecessary potato disposal or cattle culling by the US government during the Biden presidency?