Thomas F. “Fred” Stokes Executive Director The comment period for the proposed GIPSA Rules has ended and the 80,000 or so comments are in; — but the bare knuckled, back-alley fight continues. Pursuant to Title XI of the Food Conservation and Energy Act of 2008 (Farm Bill), the U. S. Department of Agriculture published certain rules on the federal register, June 22nd. The rules have to do with interpreting and enforcing the Packers and Stockyards Act of 1921 Read More …
Tag: Fred Stokes
Beef Checkoff Program: Promoting Beef or Funding Opposition to Producer Interests?
Thomas F. “Fred” Stokes, Executive Director The Beef Promotion and Research Act of 1985 (commonly referred to as the beef checkoff program) was born through producer initiative and referendum. Initially all voluntary, the checkoff became mandatory with the subsequent Farm Bill. I was among those who strongly supported the creation of it and I worked hard to ensure the referendum passed. Now, however, I believe the program has been hijacked by forces whose interests are not mine or Read More …
Continue the March; No Time for a Unilateral Truce!
by Thomas F. “Fred” Stokes Over the past 30 or so years, there has developed a meek acquiescence to agricultural market concentration and anticompetitive practices and the resultant harm to family farms and ranches, rural America and our national food security. Government has seemingly been indifferent. The U. S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has been captive to those it was supposed to regulate and the U. S. Department of Justice (USDOJ) rubber stamped every merger that came down Read More …
OCM Briefing Paper: The Plucking of a Poultry Grower
Please read the most recent briefing paper from OCM regarding the struggles of a particular chicken farmer. Click below to download the paper. pluckingofpoultry
OCM Changes 2010 Conference Agenda
PR_OCM_Conference In response to the controversy created by proposed new rules regarding the Packers and Stockyards Act, OCM has amended the agenda for its upcoming conference in Omaha, August 10-11, 2010 at the Downtown Double Tree Hotel. Please Download the press release above for more information.
Briefing Paper: Money Talks, but Its Language Is Vulgar
With a highly-concentrated industry and uncontrolled lobbying on elected officials, there is no way for ordinary people to expect their voices to be heard over the sounds of spending by huge vested interests. This document provides an overview of agribusiness spending in the 2016 election cycle. Read more.
Letter to OCM Members and Friends Concerning GIPSA Rules
ocmmemberfriends OCM Members and Friends: For many years there has been unprecedented concentration of the agricultural livestock marketplace with a corresponding decrease in competition and fair prices paid to farmers and ranchers. The result has been devastating to independent family agriculture and rural America. There has recently been a proposed reform effort issued by USDA’s Grain Inspection and Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA). Please read the letter below from OCM Executive Director Fred Stokes to OCM members and Read More …
OCM Comments on Proposed GIPSA Rules
boardcommentsonGIPSAext Press Release stating OCM’s Board of Directors position on extending GIPSA Rule comments.