Tag: big packers

Ban On Meat Packer Ownership: Too Little, Too Late

Mike Callicrate

By Mike Callicrate Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley, a longtime advocate for fair markets, is once again reintroducing a bill that would make it unlawful for meat packers to own livestock more than seven days prior to slaughter. Similar legislation has been introduced before, but the powerful packer lobby has always succeeded in killing it. Aside from whether the bill actually has a chance this time, there’s another question to consider. If Congress bans meat packers from owing livestock, Read More …

Special Commission Appointed to Investigate Packers Makes Report

Mike Callicrate

National Farmers’ Union | Salina, Kansas | August 22, 1918 Declare the Five Big Packers Control One-Half of Meat Supply of Allied Nations — Have Used Their Power to Manipulate Livestock Market. President Wilson has made public the recently filed report of the special commission appointed some time ago to investigate the alleged monopolies tie to the control of the meat industry by the big packing companies. The commission declares that the five big packers control half of Read More …

We need more Competition and the Courage to join forces and support each other.

Mike Callicrate

The independence of cattle farmers and ranchers is on life support. Once it is gone, we become serfs. The old plantation system is being reborn right before our eyes. We will be sharecroppers like in the days of old. We must then learn to kowtow. So you better start practicing your “yes sir boss” unless we muster up the courage and join forces to defeat “the man”. We must organize and generate power. We must be innovative. We Read More …

From Berkeley to Boston: Coming Together Around Freedom, Fairness and Food

Mike Callicrate

By Mike Callicrate & Fred Stokes Eating is one thing we all have in common. And, to millions of us, what we eat, how it’s produced, and where it comes from is important. OCM has worked for the last fourteen years to restore competition in the agricultural marketplace. We believe family farmers and ranchers make the best stewards of our land and livestock, and are the most reliable and trustworthy sources of high quality, healthy and safe food. Read More …

We almost had it all

Mike Callicrate

By Richard Oswald The old rule of thumb is that farmers live like paupers only to die as millionaires when heirs receive their estate. That’s because land grows in value over time, but the return it gives owners, modest, slow appreciation, is traditionally only about 5% per year. Its a long story why, but because they owed money on their farm my parents were a little poorer in the early sixties than typical farmers their age. Corn prices Read More …