Category: Press Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 5, 2018  107 Farm Groups Urge Congress to Reject H.R. 4879/3599 in the 2018 Farm Bill Washington, D.C. – Today, a coalition including Family Farm Action, Organization for Competitive Markets, National Dairy Producers Organization and Farm Aid submitted a letter to members of the Senate Agriculture Committee urging them to reject Rep. Steve King’s effort to include his radical legislation in the 2018 Farm Bill. King’s legislation would wipe out most state and local Read More …

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Friday, March 30, 2018 Family Farmers File Brief Against Department of Agriculture for Unlawful Withdrawal of Farmer Fair Practices Rules  Administration Unlawfully Withdrew Rules that Would Have Helped Level the Playing Field Between Farmers and Agribusiness  New Brief is Latest Development in Suit Against the Trump Administration for Siding with Big Ag over Small Farmers Washington, D.C. — On behalf of the Organization for Competitive Markets and individual farmers, Democracy Forward filed a new brief in Read More …

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 16, 2018 Media Contacts: Chelsea Davis, 573-808-3553, chelsea@farmaction.us Angela Huffman, 614-390-7552, ahuffman@competitivemarkets.com New Report Details Challenges Facing North Dakota Family Farmers Grand Forks ND – Today, in a joint briefing with Family Farm Action, the Organization for Competitive Markets (OCM) released a report outlining the dire state of North Dakota family farmers and rural communities. Shockingly, only one in 10 farmers in North Dakota are considered young farmers with few returning to an industry Read More …

On March 6, 2018, the Small Business Administration’s Office of Inspector General issued a report on SBA loans made to poultry growers. It found that poultry companies “exercised such comprehensive control over the growers” that they no longer qualify as small businesses. Nevertheless, SBA has given out nearly $2 billion in loans to ineligible growers who are being set up to fail in a consolidated industry in which companies are able to dictate unfair prices, pit growers against Read More …

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 26, 2018 Media Contacts: Angela Huffman, 614-390-7552, ahuffman@competitivemarkets.com Chelsea Davis, 573-808-3553, chelsea@farmaction.us 64 Farm Groups Urge Congress to Reject Rep. King’s Attack on Rural Communities Washington, D.C. – Today, 64 farm groups sent a letter to members of the House Agriculture Committee urging them to reject H.R. 4879/3599. This legislation, which Rep. Steve King (R-IA) intends to insert into the 2018 Farm Bill, is a direct attack on the rights of local and state Read More …

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 19, 2018 Farm Group Urges a No Vote on SB 374 RICHMOND, VA – Organization for Competitive Markets (OCM) calls on the members of the Virginia House Agriculture Subcommittee #1 to vote no on SB 374 in today’s hearing. SB 374 is a dangerous bill that would take away government control and oversight of the federally-mandated beef checkoff tax assessment, handing the funds over to a private membership lobbying entity. In 2005, the U.S. Read More …

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 15, 2018 Media Contact: Angela Huffman, 614-390-7552 ahuffman@competitivemarkets.com Serious Abuses of Ohio Beef Checkoff Tax Dollars Show Need for Reform Columbus, OH – Today, the Organization for Competitive Markets and Ohio Farmers Union released a briefing paper outlining how federal and state funds are being used to prop up and fund a trade and lobbying entity. The Ohio Beef Council, an agency of the Ohio Department of Agriculture, is funneling taxpayer dollars through payroll Read More …