October 2, 2019: Rally to Stop the Stealin’! #FairCattleMarkets Now
Organization for Competitive Markets is hosting a rally and meeting to Stop the Stealin’! in Omaha, Nebraska on October 2, 2019 from 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM. The event will be held at the Ramada Inn at 3321 South 72nd Street.
Last week, producers were losing over $200.00 per head while the monopoly meatpackers like JBS were making over $400.00. Packers are extorting the farmers’ and ranchers’ share of the beef dollar. We are mad as hell and not gonna take it anymore. It is time for President Trump and Secretary Perdue to take charge and take action.
RSVP for members of the public: Click here.
RSVP for members of the press: Click here.
Agenda
Coming soon.
Call to Action
So often we hear it will take an act of Congress to fix the mess agriculture and livestock producers are facing. While Congress needs to wake up and take action to ensure open, fair, transparent markets for every producer, there is something United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Sonny Perdue and the Trump Administration can do, should do and must do TODAY on behalf of independent family agriculture.
Six Actions President Trump and Secretary Perdue Can Take Today to Save the U.S. Cattle Market
1. Restore producer protection safeguards under the Packers and Stockyards Act by
issuing new rules that meet or exceed the demands that are outlined by
Senators Tester and Grassley along with Congresswoman Kaptur in their
recent letter to USDA:
a. Clarify the long-standing USDA position that the Packers and
Stockyards Act does not require a producer to demonstrate harm to
competition across the entire sector in order to bring a claim.
b. Ensure packers are not providing preferential marketing
arrangements to only a select group of large livestock feeders, while
excluding opportunities for smaller, independent feeders to remain
profitable.
c. Protect the rights of farmers to join together in producer associations to advocate for themselves, free from retribution.
d. Grower payment systems (tournament) should be objective,
transparent, and reward growers for their management skills, not
penalize them for factors outside of their control.
2. Restore the enforcement power of the Packers and Stockyards Act by re-establishing the Grain Inspection Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) and increase funding for investigations and enforcement.
3. Stop foreign meat from being labeled “Product of U.S.A.” by taking up the OCM and American Grassfed Association petition to USDA’s Federal Safety Inspection Service, and rule favorably on behalf of America’s family farmers.
4. Withdraw the United States Mexico Canada Agreement (USMCA) until such time as Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) is included in the USMCA.
5. Reduce the amount of foreign beef imported into the United States and cease all efforts to reopen the U.S. to Brazilian beef.
6. Implement the Government Accountability Office’s recommendations and require USDA Agriculture Marketing Services (AMS) Livestock Mandatory Price Reporting Group to share marketing data with USDA Packers and Stockyards Act Program or submit to Congress a proposal to allow for such sharing.
Taking these six actions today will stabilize and move the market in the right direction for cattle producers and it would do so immediately without having to wait for an act of Congress. USDA Secretary Perdue and the Trump Administration have the power to take these six actions. Let’s not let them off the hook; let’s raise a little hell!
OCM Membership
Organization for Competitive Markets (OCM) is a national leader working to bring about economic justice for family farmers, ranchers and rural communities by fighting to break the the abusive corporate power that extracts the wealth out of their pockets. OCM provides a platform for individuals and organizations to join their voices in demanding fairness and justice within the marketplace. Working together we can ensure everyone receives their fair share of America’s prosperity that they build. By becoming a member you will have access to the information and tools you need to join the fight. Click here to join us today.