New Politics Podcasts with Coffee Party USA on BlogTalkRadio Do you ever feel like you are not getting the whole story? If you are like me, you can look to your own life situation and know that “the news” often omits important elements that might well change how others perceive the situation. Whether the information is incomplete by oversight or design, it is time for our media to raise the bar. Today on Lunch with Louden I’ll be Read More …
Category: Corporate Power
Special Report: The End of the Trail – How Government Destroyed Free Markets for Family Ranchers
Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack’s inaction has led to the near-destruction of American family ranchers. Over 17,000 family ranches will disappear this year. Over 100,000 family ranchers have left the profession since 2009. It’s a tragedy as world-renowned American beef experiences record-high prices, grocery retailers seize increasing shares of beef dollars, meat packers manipulate the beef market and prices paid to ranchers, and the ranchers are denied the rewards resulting from raising the best cattle in the world. Read More …
Missouri Amendment One; An Easier Road to Multinational Corporate Food Takeover
“This is our constitution, corporations stay out!” – Lt. Governor Joe Maxwell For Immediate Release: During their August 5th primary election, in addition to selecting candidates for the November election, Missouri voters will decide whether or not the so called right to farm and ranch shall be inserted into their state constitution. OCM urges Missourians to vote no on Amendment One. OCM is distressed by such narrowly defined and clearly corporate friendly language being inserted into the very Read More …
Confronting The Lie: Open Letter to Steve Dittmer
June 24, 2014 Dear Mr. Dittmer, After reading Mike Callicrate’s article about you in the OCM newsletter, I feel compelled to respond to your recent blog about me and the good hardworking employees at GIPSA that I was honored to lead. Two old sayings come to mind when dealing with you. First is “a wise man has something to say and a fool just has to say something”. The other is that “some people would rather climb a Read More …
Farmers in America have a saying: “If you’re not at the table, you’re on the menu”.
Mid-sized farmers are stuck in the middle – too conventional and “toxic” for the foodies, too small to matter to Big Ag corporations. How do you participate in the food debate without becoming part of the menu? Or, with friends like these, who needs aliens? By Richard Oswald Farmers in America have a saying. “If you’re not at the table, you’re on the menu.” This reminds me of a Twilight Zone episode where extraterrestrials visiting from outer space Read More …
Chipotle: Selling Idealism – Delivering the opposite
The May 13th article, Soaring Earnings of Chipotle’s 2 Bosses Raise Investor Unease, inspired the following story of my experience with Chipotle: Years ago, when I first saw the Chipotle big burrito, “Food with integrity” bill board, I thought what a great marketing campaign. But was it true? I was part of an effort at Colorado College to replace Sodexo with Bon Appetit. Sara, a young student activist was leading the charge. We were successful. Bon Appetite is Read More …
Big Meat Packers and the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association have taken U.S. cattlemen and consumers for a ride.
The Politics & Economics of Food – A presentation at Lamar Community College March 2014
click to enlarge I studied Animal Science at Lamar Community College in 1972 and 1973 prior to completing my Animal Science degree at Colorado State University. A lot has changed in agriculture as Land Grant institutions have taught students that agriculture is a business, not a way of life, steering us well off the path of a sustainable food system. Hopefully we can see a shift back from the destructive industrial model to an agriculture that includes good Read More …