"The meat packer-USDA cartel has snookered us at every turn"

Mike Callicrate, No-Bull.net

"These now monopolistic global predators have surrounded us, forcing the prices of what we produce below our cost of production while in many cases becoming the only source of high priced inputs."

Herman Schumacher, R-CALF, appearing before the Senate Agriculture Committee, June 10, 1998

"There is too little capitalism in the food system, and too few capitalists."

Keith Mudd, president, Organization of Competitive Markets, press release:  "Calls for Competition Title in Farm Bill," January 18, 2007. Webmaster's note:  placing restrictions on how packers and producers contract for livestock and banning a packer's ability to own livestock is hardly free market capitalism, yet that's what OCM argues for in the same press release.

"Today there is a war in the United States. Never mind Kosovo, we are fighting our war today right here in St. Paul, Minnesota. We are fighting that war against globalists like Cargill, ConAgra, ADM, Monsanto, Dupont and IBP."

Mike Callicrate, presentation to Department of Justice and U.S. Department of Agriculture, St. Paul, Minnesota, April 18, 1999

"Non-competitive markets can lead to increased costs and reduced choices for consumers.  When too few companies dominate a market, the long-term result for consumers is negative."

2001 Letter to Congress signed by Organization for Competitive Markets and other protectionist groups in support of a competition title in the Farm Bill. Webmaster's note:  Since this letter was sent, the percent of disposable income that consumers spend on meat and poultry has declined, while variety and convenience in the meat case has increased. 

"R-CALF USA will work ...avoiding adding unnecessary costs and other burdens on participants in the food supply chain ... We continue to support mandatory country of origin labeling to provide important information to consumers ..."   
Webmaster's  note:  USDA estimates that mandatory country of origin labeling (strongly supported by R-CALF)  will cost the industry $2.4 billion in the first year alone.

From R-CALF Resolution FS 2004-1

"Whereas, The South Dakota Stockgrowers Association Board of Directors believes that competitive problems in the livestock industry are caused, in large part, by the concentration of the large meat packers and retailers, be it resolved that The South Dakota Stockgrowers Association Board of Directors supports a break up of the dominant firms in meatpacking and retail food sales to remedy the concentration issue."

Testimony of the South Dakota Stockgrowers Association, United States Senate Judiciary Committee Field Hearing, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, August 23, 2002.

What Others Say About Them

"R-CALF believes the packer is the enemy and the key to cattlemen's prosperity is opposing trade liberalization."

Feuding Farmers 1: Overview Sept. 26, 2005, By Tony Dreibus -- DTN Feature Editor

"The conundrum here is obvious to everyone but them; so obvious, that many in the rest of the industry don't fully comprehend that the R-CALF guys really don't get it - if cow-calf guys no longer raised calves, feeders would have nothing to feed and nothing to sell to packers who would have nothing to process. Packers have no long- term interest in killing the goose."

The Search for Sasquatch, By Steve Dittmer, Agribusiness Freedom Foundation, May 9, 2007

"Independent producers cannot be successful in the absence of protection from unfair and anti-competitive practices." Tom Buis gave no examples or specific complaints, just referred to his list of the largest feeders, packers and grain companies and their market share, as if that proved something. Buis is National Farmer's Union president.

"Buis reminded us of the anti-Wal-Mart spokeswoman who screeched in a news interview that Wal-Mart made $10 billion, as if that was sufficient proof of Wal-Mart's guilt alone. She didn't mention that profit was about 4 percent of sales. Likewise, Buis didn't mention that the packers on his list own just 5 percent of the cattle on feed."

The Search for Sasquatch, By Steve Dittmer, Agribusiness Freedom Foundation, May 9, 2007