BEHIND THE BRANDS: THE MEATPACKING MONOPOLY AND THE ILLUSION OF CHOICE

Meatpacking is one of the most consolidated industries in our food system. More than 70 meat brands marketing to consumers and retailers under the guise of individual names and logos are actually owned by just four corporations—Tyson, JBS, Cargill, and National Beef. These four meatpacking giants control a whopping 80-85% of the beef industry. Their sheer dominance over this industry, deceptively hidden behind their acquired brands, means that it’s challenging to opt out of buying their products at the grocery store.

This level of corporate control in the meatpacking sector has devastated the industry: Farmers have been driven off their land, prices have increased for consumers, and our food supply is vulnerable to disruptions. Check out our blog to learn more.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT: THE PORK INDUSTRY ASKS CONGRESS TO OVERTURN PROP. 12, YET AGAIN

Farm Action Fund’s Christian Lovell spoke with Held on this issue, explaining how laws like Prop. 12 support small-scale farmers and provide market opportunity: “We know small farms are the most likely to be diversified. We know that small farms are the most likely to have high welfare standards, and we know that small farms are really the most likely to use more sustainable regenerative practices.” Learn more in Held’s article.

OPINION: EGG COMPANIES ARE GETTING GOVERNMENT BAILOUTS WHILE PRICE-GOUGING CONSUMERS

While big agricultural companies are ripping off consumers with one hand, they are taking taxpayer-funded bailouts with the other. The U.S. Department of Agriculture gave Cal-Maine $22 million in avian flu relief last year, and gave millions more to other major egg producers.

LEGISLATION SPOTLIGHT: MEAT AND POULTRY SPECIAL INVESTIGATOR ACT

This bill would establish a new office at the USDA to prevent anticompetitive activity in the meat and poultry industry.

WHAT’S THE TALK?

The AP reports that North Dakota has enacted the nation’s first law shielding Roundup’s maker, Bayer-Monsanto, from cancer lawsuits.

The Washington Post reports that a new duty on tomatoes from Mexico could create market opportunities for U.S. tomato growers, showing how targeted tariffs can help restore competition.

Bloomberg reports that Cargill reached a price-fixing case settlement after McDonald’s sued meatpacking giants Cargill, Tyson, and JBS for limiting beef supply in order to raise prices and boost profits.

Food Dive reports that dominant U.S. egg producer Cal-Maine is acquiring a breakfast food manufacturer after reporting soaring profits from hiking its egg prices.

AgNet West reports that USDA is releasing a second round of funding to help growers market specialty crops like fruits, vegetables, herbs, and nursery plants.

A report from World Animal Protection alleges JBS avoided paying hundreds of millions in taxes by shifting profits away from high-tax countries like the U.S., despite generating over half of its revenue on our soil.

“American farmers did exactly what was asked of them. We produce more calories, cheaper than ever before. Now, we have a new mission: producing more nutrition with greater efficiency than ever before. This represents the biggest opportunity for American agriculture in generations,” writes Brett Sciotto for the Ohio Farm Bureau.

ABOUT US