Walmart opened a meatpacking plant. What does it mean for the beef industry? It’s a step the company took to reduce its reliance on the heavily consolidated beef industry. But, for some ranchers, it may represent a new monopoly of its own. January 10th, 2020 by Sam Bloch Walmart, the largest retailer in the U.S.,…

Thank you for signing our petition to investigate and break up JBS. A new year’s resolution here at OCM is to double down on our efforts to expose the behemoth meatpacker’s abuse of America’s independent agriculture. In that vein, we would like to share with you some breaking news out of Brazil: A class action…

INDUSTRY NEWS – AM Wyoming funds college meat program, mobile slaughter By Susan Kelly on 1/15/2020 The state of Wyoming has awarded a $777,809 grant to Central Wyoming College to develop a meat processing program that will include a mobile slaughtering unit, the school announced. The funding, through the Wyoming Works initiative, will support an…

House Bill Introduced to Oversee USDA Checkoffs By News Editor January 13, 2020 Nevada Democrat Dina Titus introduced legislation titled “The Opportunities for Fairness in Farming Act” (OFF) into the House of Representatives. The Hagstrom Report says it’s designed to create financial controls and transparency for the USDA agricultural checkoff programs. Titus says, “The USDA’s…

Local startup Bytable aims to connect consumers and producers Food for change? Faith Miller Jan 8, 2020, Colorado Springs Independent Courtesy of Bytable Rancher Mike Callicrate, center, with Bytable’s Jacy Rittmer and Brett Dugan. Colorado Springs-based Bytable has a lot on its plate, thanks in part to a $437,000 grant from the U.S. Department of…

Trump administration gives crooked Brazilian meatpacker another taxpayer-funded bailout despite bipartisan outrage By CHRIS SOMMERFELDT NEW YORK DAILY NEWS | JAN 10, 2020 | 3:21 PM President Trump announces a $16 billion bailout package for farmers and ranchers with Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue (third left) at the White House in May. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) Bucking…

Fact-check: Meatpackers are lying to you about Country of Origin Labeling July 4, 2018 These are the myths told so that beef importers can fleece U.S. ranchers on cattle and hog prices Picture it: This holiday weekend you’re about to bite into juicy, grass-fed, flame-grilled burger. There’s fresh watermelon and apple pie on the table….

Mike Bloomberg: Don’t Believe Trump – Our Economy Is Broken By Michael R. Bloomberg This article originally appeared on MarketWatch, a sister publication of Barron’s. President Donald Trump says our economy is “the best it has ever been,” and he is planning to ride that false claim to a second term. I won’t let him…

U.S. Rep. Dina Titus Introduces OFF Act to Curb Misuse of Farmer Dollars in USDA’s Checkoff Programs Thursday, January 9th 2020, 1:04 PM CST Today, U.S. Rep. Dina Titus (D-NV) introduced the Opportunities for Fairness in Farming (OFF) Act to create a system of financial controls and transparency to reform USDA’s agricultural checkoff programs. Earlier…

OCM Condemns Latest GIPSA Rule Iteration WASHINGTON, D.C. — On Monday, January 13, 2020, the Federal Register will publish a proposed rule by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS). This rule aims to specify criteria the Secretary of Agriculture would consider when determining whether an undue or unreasonable preference or…