Don’t let the American cowboy become extinct
Dear Friend,
These are hard times for the independent family farmer and rancher. In the past 35 years, we have lost nearly half of our cattle producers, 90% of our hog producers, and over 80% of our dairy producers. Calf prices have dropped to half of what they were a year ago.
In the name of globalization, the U.S. government has allowed large multi-national corporations to take over, allowing as few as four corporations to control over 50% of the market. This gives the largest corporations free reign to set prices at both ends of the food chain: below market prices for the farmer and above market prices for the retail consumer.
OCM believes doing nothing is simply not an option, unless of course we want the American cowboy to become extinct. We need your support now more than ever.
We are the only national think tank focusing strictly on antitrust and trade policy in agriculture. Here are a few of the steps we are taking to reclaim economic justice for America’s farmers and ranchers:
-
*We are pursuing an ongoing Freedom of Information complaint in federal district court to get to truth on how U.S. cattle producers’ beef checkoff funds are being spent.
*Following a yearlong effort, two bills have been filed in Congress that when enacted would end the abuse of the checkoff programs, helping restore opportunity for U.S. family farmers and ranchers.
*Through our national collaboration, we are pushing for changes in the Packers and Stockyards Act, which would end packers’ predatory practices in the market and would provide meaningful protection for contract growers.
We will continue to lead the fight against corporate control of our food system in order to return our food and agricultural sector to true supply-demand based competition. Today, for Giving Tuesday, please consider making a tax-deductible donation through our secure, online system using your credit or debit card. Will you pitch in? Any amount helps.
Together, we can take back an agricultural marketplace that works for farmers and consumers, not against them.
Sincerely,
Mike Weaver
President
Organization for Competitive Markets