Media

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 …

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 …

Feedstuffs | Thousands urge USDA to act on GIPSA rule

OCM Staff

Feedstuffs In May, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced its intent to publish a new rule under the Packers & Stockyards Act (PSA), also known as the GIPSA rule. The rule would specify criteria the secretary of agriculture could consider in determining whether conduct or action by packers, swine contractors or live poultry dealers constitutes an undue or unreasonable preference or advantage and a violation of the PSA. Rural Advancement Foundation International-USA (RAFI-USA), the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC), the Read More …

Groups Call out Kansas Livestock Association over Misuse of Funds

OCM Staff

The Kansas Livestock Association (KLA) has been collecting and expending $10 million dollars per year in violation of state and federal law, according to the Organization for Competitive Markets (OCM) and the Kansas Cattlemen’s Association (KCA). A briefing paper released by the two groups today outlines how KLA has obtained funding through an improperly close affiliation with the Kansas Beef Council, which is charged with collecting $1 a head from every cattle transaction as part of the federally Read More …

OCM Applauds U.S. Senators for Probe into JBS Transactions

OCM Staff

As reported today in Meatingplace, “U.S. Sens. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) and Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) sent a letter to Secretary of Treasury Steven Mnuchin requesting that the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) formally open a review of the transactions of Brazilian meat-processing conglomerate JBS S.A.” Angela Huffman, Communications and Research Director for the Organization for Competitive Markets (OCM), offered the following statement: “The corrupt actions of JBS demonstrate the epitome of unchecked monopoly power. JBS Read More …

Briefing Paper | Shell Game Diverts Millions of Farm Tax Dollars to Kansas Lobbying Group, Threatening Beef Checkoff Program

OCM Staff

Read Our Briefing Paper: Shell Game Diverts Millions of Farm Tax Dollars to Kansas Lobbying Group, Threatening Beef Checkoff Program Under federal law, every head of cattle sold incurs a $1.00 tax, which is to be collected by state entities to be used to benefit the American cattle industry. A review by the Organization for Competitive Markets of one of the largest of these state programs, the Kansas Beef Checkoff Program, reveals a system rife with illegal financial payments Read More …