Author: OCM Staff

OCM Condemns Latest GIPSA Rule Iteration

OCM Staff

WASHINGTON, D.C. — On Monday, January 13, 2020, the Federal Register will publish a proposed rule by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS). This rule aims to specify criteria the Secretary of Agriculture would consider when determining whether an undue or unreasonable preference or advantage has occurred in violation of the Packers and Stockyards Act. Upon its initial review of the proposed rule, Organization for Competitive Markets (OCM) issued the following assessment: USDA Read More …

Checkoff Program Reform Legislation Filed in U.S. House of Representatives

OCM Staff

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Titus (NV-01) introduced the Opportunities for Fairness in Farming (OFF) Act in the U.S. House of Representatives. This legislation is the companion bill to S.935, filed in 2019 by U.S. Senators Mike Lee (R-UT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Rand Paul (R-KY), and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA). The OFF Act would put an end to the most egregious abuses committed by the boards and contractors of the federally mandated commodity checkoff programs. Checkoff programs have been instrumental in the Read More …

2019 in Review: Hitting ‘Em Where It Hurts

OCM Staff

What a year! 2019 wraps up as one of OCM’s most successful yet. We exposed and challenged JBS’ corrupt monopoly power, the injustice in the market with the repeal of mandatory Country of Origin Labeling, how farmers’ checkoff dollars are being pocketed by industrialized agriculture lobbying groups, and how global corporations and foreign countries are buying up America’s farmland, disadvantaging U.S. farmers and ranchers. With your help we have taken on the food and agriculture monopolies, and they Read More …

USMCA Misses the Mark for U.S. Farmers and Ranchers

OCM Staff

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Media Contact: Angela Huffman ahuffman@competitivemarkets.com 614-390-7552 Washington, D.C. — Today, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to approve the U.S., Mexico, and Canada trade agreement (USMCA). The Organization for Competitive Markets (OCM) issued the following statement: OCM is gravely disappointed that the economic viability of America’s farmers and ranchers has once again been left out of the trilateral trade agreement. Like its predecessor, NAFTA, USMCA fuels the consolidation and monopolization of food and agriculture, and is harmful Read More …

How USMCA Misses the Mark for U.S. Farmers and Ranchers

OCM Staff

The Organization for Competitive Markets (OCM) is gravely disappointed that the economic viability of America’s farmers and ranchers has once again been left out of the U.S., Mexico, and Canada trilateral agreement. History shows that major multinational trade agreements like the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) are only renegotiated once in a generation. USMCA’s predecessor, the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), was executed 27 years ago, in 1992. USMCA is a 16-year agreement with an option for an additional Read More …

Brazilian Prosecutors Take Aim at JBS. When Will U.S. Do the Same?

OCM Staff

Brazilian prosecutors agree with OCM’s position that meatpacking giant JBS is guilty of fraud that led to illegal loans from Brazilian state development bank BNDES. Through bribery, JBS secured the necessary funds to go on a spending spree buying up 40 rivals on four continents, including the U.S. JBS has admitted that but for these fraudulent loans, it wouldn’t have been able to take over the U.S. beef market. Now Brazilian officials are demanding $5 billion in damage Read More …

OCM Staff in Transition

OCM Staff

For the past five years, Joe Maxwell has ably served the Organization for Completive Markets as its executive director. During that time OCM has become a national force in combating corporate threats to transparent, fair, and competitive agricultural and food markets. Having implemented our highly successful five-year strategic plan, Joe is stepping down as OCM executive director to allow OCM to select new leadership to guide us to the next level. He will continue to serve OCM as Read More …

Fox News | American farmers getting crushed by corruption from imported beef monopoly

OCM Staff

Fox News By Emily DeCiccio America’s farmers and ranchers are applauding a bipartisan push to formally review a meat-processing conglomerate’s apparent illicit dealings and whether its products are helping support Venezuela’s Socialist regime. Senators Marco Rubio, R-Fla. and Bob Menendez, D-N.J., are spearheading a push to investigate Joesley and Wesley Batista. The senators sent a letter to Secretary of Treasury Steven Mnuchin on Oct. 8 requesting a formal review of the transactions of Brazilian meat-processing conglomerate, JBS S.A. The Batistas are the controlling shareholders of two prominent U.S. companies, JBS Read More …