Drovers: Commentary: Industry Insiders Doing the Bidding Of Agribusiness Again!
Commentary: Industry Insiders Doing the Bidding Of Agribusiness Again!
Wes Shoemyer
October 8, 2019
The opinions expressed in this commentary are those of Wes Shoemyer, a farmer from Monroe County, Missouri.
In a big ag hit piece “Identity Theft: How #FairCattleMarkets Was Hijacked” published in Drovers October 3rd, the authors (Kate Miller and Kim Hardan) attacked me and many I call friends. For folks who claim they want to include all kinds of farmers, they sure don’t seem to like anyone who speaks out against corporate power and corruption.
The most noticeable fact in their personal “hit” job is that the authors did not challenge a single policy position that those named to include myself are fighting for and that were laid out at the Rally to Stop the Stealin’ in Omaha. We were calling on President Trump and Secretary Perdue to stop the USMCA deal if it doesn’t include country of origin labeling on beef and pork, to stop foreign meat from entering this country and being relabeled as “Product of the USA”, to enforce the Packers and Stockyards Act and stand up to the 4 giant meatpackers who control over 80% of beef in this country to stop stealin’ from family farmers and ranchers.
As to the authors’ personal attacks, as a farmer and cattle producer, I’m sick and tired of being told that my checkoff dollars being used against me isn’t a rigged system that needs reform. I’m sick and tired of being told if I speak out against big meatpackers that I’m a threat to the industry. I’m sick and tired of being told that consumers don’t have a right to know what country their beef came from. I’m sick and tired of being told that if I don’t agree with an organization 100% I can’t work with them where we have common ground.
Industry insiders constantly try to sling mud and make people like me out to be an evil supervillain to keep the rest of the farmers and ranchers from focusing on the real issues. We are getting screwed by the packer monopolies. They are the real enemy not each other.
When I served in the Missouri State Legislature I was a fierce advocate for independent family farmers. I worked with allies with a wide range of backgrounds and ideologies to fight the concentration of power within our food system and the extraction of wealth from our rural communities. As I continued that fight I have found that many times those that claim to be the voice of agriculture are really the voice of big food monopolies, like JBS, who are increasingly foreign-owned, trying to keep farmers and ranchers in line and our hand out of their profit jar.
I find it alarming that the authors turned their pen on me, an independent family farmer from Missouri, but failed to mention how Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue told Wisconsin farmers “In America, the big get bigger and the small go out.” The reason I chose to speak at the rally in Omaha is that I don’t believe big multinational agribusiness should get richer and the rest of us should just go out. I believe that family farmers and ranchers are the backbone of our rural communities and we need more not less.
Ms. Miller and Ms. Harden, could it be that it is easier for you to attack the messenger than be truthful about being on the side of the packer monopolies and their interest groups like NCBA?
Wes, You are 100% right. I am a former Idaho State Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman. A trade mission to Asia showed how all of those countries protect Agriculture from harmful policies and bad trade deals. A friend of mine who served in Congress confirmed to me what Republican Leadership tries to extort from you once you are elected. That is your principles, ethics, and money. He wouldn’t play ball with them and helped form the freedom caucus. Ted Cruz would not kowtow to Mitch McConnell either. Our 2 Idaho U.S. Senators one of whom I was a colleague of in the Senate and other I know well only do what leadership and NCBA tells them. Idaho Cattle Association sadly mirrors the same group think.
This foreign beef, the packer captive supply, and speculators at Chicago Mercantile need to be the lead story on the TV networks.
Baron Trump loved the inaugural parade. Maybe it is time for another tractorcade in D.C. along with livestock transport and feed trucks.
Ric Branch Idaho State Senator and 5th Generation Cattle Rancher
P.S. Democratic leadership has same problem.
Hi guys!
Kate here. I chose not to attack the policy angle, why state my opinions when there were facts to discuss.
I am genuinely moved by your commitment to changing the industry to fit your own ideals. As well, I salute you for taking a stand against bigotry and racism following the event. Knowing the backlash, that took guts.
But since our absence of opinion bothered you, here:
I think voluntary COOL is a great thing, but I am against mCOOL because it strips the premium out of the market for the people who do the work to brand. Withdrawing from USCMA would be devastating to other industry segments, as well as our own.
I am for changing the FSIS label.
I am for modernizing Checkoff.
I am not a member of the NCBA.
I don’t work for a packer, but I am thankful we have them. Not everyone has access to a MPU or the market to promote beef that way.
I don’t believe in more government intervention in pricing, and I don’t believe the free market can be fair. What is on the other side of the divide and conquer strategy? What happens with CAFO’s go away? What happens when Checkoff is gone? What happens on the other side of your plans? That’s always been my question. What’s the industry look like when you build your vision?
Mike—you and Bill are masters in grass roots marketing, and while I don’t agree with your methods or many of your policy principles—-I still admire your commitment to the industry.
We may not ever see eye to eye, but I applaud you for being in the arena.
Kate