In recent years, federal policymakers have paid more attention to market fairness issues within the meat-production industry. Those fighting for smaller cattle producers say recent efforts are helpful, but more needs to be done.
Patty Lovera is the policy adviser, Campaign for Family Farms & the Environment. She says this is not a new problem, and while ranchers and consumers are missing out, others are not.
“Fewer companies run the middle of that food chain, and they’re getting bigger and they have more control and they keep more of the dollar.”
Backers of reform say prior to relaxed regulations, ranchers were paid much higher prices per animal, but that has dramatically declined since 2015 with more imported meat being sold in stores.
In central South Dakota, rancher Nick Nemec says the lack of a viable market has made it harder for younger generations of his family to turn a profit.
“My daughter and son-in-law, who’ve been ranching with me now for six years, and [they] have kind of struggled to make ends meet because of cattle prices.”
The renewed calls for action follow a recent White House report showing that the larger meat processing companies are recording massive profits amid inflation issues in the economy. Lawmakers from both sides of the political aisle have been calling attention to the issue that four companies purchase and process roughly 80% of beef in America. Industry leaders argue they’re being made scapegoats by the situation.
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