competition
Arbitration, adequate notice, required upgrades among issues addressed in GIPSA proposed rule
(July 16, 2010) - For the most part, the list of recommended actions offered by Taylor
and Domina in their testimony before the Joint U.S. Department of
Justice and U.S. Department of Agriculture/GIPSA Public Workshop on
Competition Issues in the Poultry Industry, held May 21, 2010 in
Normal, Alabama
(http://www.competitivemarkets.com/images/stories/2010Newsletters/taylorgipsa.pdf),
deals with different issues from the proposed rule published in the
Federal Register on June 22, 2010 by the US Department of Agriculture
(USDA) Grain Inspection, Packers, and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA)
(http://archive.gipsa.usda.gov/rulemaking/fr10/06-22-10.pdf).
Taken together, they cover many of the issues that farmers involved in contract meat production have raised in numerous public hearings. It was pressure from contract growers that resulted in wording in the 2008 Farm Bill that required the USDA to develop and issue the June 22, 2010 proposed rule.
Poultry growers air complaints
(June 4, 2010) - This year, the Obama administration is holding a series of five hearings across the nation to explore competition issues affecting the agricultural sector in the 21st century and the appropriate role for antitrust and regulatory enforcement in that industry. The second of these workshops, conducted jointly by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Department of Justice (DOJ), was held at Alabama A&M University in Normal, Alabama.
The May 21, 2010 workshop was led by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and US Attorney General Eric Holder. The hearing focused on issues in the poultry industry, and featured panel discussions on poultry grower issues and trends in poultry production. And, it also included opportunities for public comments.
“All players in the poultry industry deserve an honest chance at success, and that requires a fair, viable, and competitive marketplace,” said Vilsack. “Today’s conversation helped bring a better understanding of the issues impacting growers on a daily basis and provided an opportunity to openly discuss some of the ideas that have been raised to address these concerns.”
MFU Vice President Gary Wertish to co-chair session of USDA Rual Summit
St. Paul (June 1, 2010) - The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack will be hosting The National Summit of Rural America: A Dialogue for Renewing Promise on Thursday, June 3, 2010, in Hillsboro, Missouri, and has asked Minnesota Farmers Union Vice President Gary Wertish to co-chair a Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services breakout session titled "Fair Advantages: Future Farm Competitiveness and Productivity."
"I am honored to be asked to be a co-chair by the USDA for the competitiveness and productivity session of their rural summit," said Gary Wertish, Minnesota Farmers Union Vice President. "Part of what Farmers Union fights for is getting rural people a fair and competitive price for their goods; and I will be able to tell the USDA first hand what I have been hearing from Farmers Union members."
There are over 200 people participating in the Summit, which will give farmers a chance to tell the USDA about the issues that concern them.
For more information on the Summit, go to, http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/ruraltour?navtype=TOUR&contentid=ruralsummitfull.html. You can contact Vice President Wertish to schedule an interview before, during or after the Summit at 651.262.7128.
Vice President Wertish to attend DOJ-USDA workshop on agriculture competition
St. Paul (March 9, 2010) - On Friday, March 12, Minnesota Farmers Union Vice President Gary Wertish will be attending the Department of Justice and the United States Department of Agriculture's workshop about competition and regulatory issues in agriculture. The workshop will be held in Iowa at the Des Moines Area Community College's FFA Enrichment Center.
"There is more and more concentration in agriculture these days, which threatens farm families and leads to less price at the farm gate for livestock and grain" said Gary Wertish, Minnesota Farmers Union Vice President. "Hopefully this workshop will be a first step in getting stricter restrictions on consolidation; more competition; and more price discovery for farmers and consumers."
NFU testifies on dairy crisis
WASHINGTON (July 21, 2009) - Carver County Minnesota Farmers Union President Scott Hoese testified before the House Agriculture Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy and Poultry today on the devastating economic conditions within the dairy industry. As a dairy farmer, Hoese said the current situation is unlike any experienced in the past and the width and depth cannot continue to be ignored.
"This crisis has not discriminated based upon herd size or geographic location," Hoese said. "The rollercoaster market dairy producers have been riding becomes more severe with each passing year, with the highs not lasting long enough to mitigate the lows".
Hoese told the subcommittee dairy farmers need a lifeline now. "There is no single factor why the dairy industry is in the economic condition it is in and there is no single option to solve this crisis. It will take a suite of options from Congress and the administration to ensure short-term survival and long-term prosperity for America's dairy farmers," he said.
JBS dropped attempt to purchase National Beef Packing Company
St. Paul (February 24, 2009) - Minnesota Farmers Union declares victory after learning JBS S.A. has terminated its attempt to purchase National Beef Packing Company. This decision allows for better competition in the market, benefiting beef cattle producers and consumers everywhere. According to the Minnesota Attorney General's office, if this merger went through, three companies would have controlled 80% of the United States fed cattle processing capacity.
"Last summer, Minnesota Farmers Union met with Attorney General Lori Swanson about the terrible impacts this merger would have on the cattle industry, and urged her to join in this lawsuit" said Doug Peterson, Minnesota Farmers Union President. "Minnesota Farmers Union wants to thank Attorney General Swanson for joining the antitrust litigation, essentially blocks a monopoly which would have increased the prices consumers pay for their beef and lowered the costs farmers receive."
A lawsuit to block this merger was filed in October by Minnesota Attorney General Lori Swanson, along with the Attorneys General of 12 other states and the United States Department of Justice on antitrust grounds. With the news that JBS has forfeited their attempt to purchase National Beef Packing Company, the pending litigation will be terminated.