packers

Beef producers could enjoy better market conditions, and perhaps a better bottom line in 2023, that according to one University of Idaho expert.  Dr. Phil Bass said in his assessment the relationship between producers and packers has improved over the past 12 months, and he’s hopeful the positive dialogs as of recent will continue.  He noted that...

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack is non-committal on supporting a renewed push in Congress for livestock marketing reforms.  Vilsack was careful in recent comments to not to overstep the general support he voiced last year for the Grassley-Fisher bill to boost price discovery and beef industry competition.   “...

The USDA says it’s extending the comment period on the proposed “Inclusive Competition and Market Integrity Under the Packers and Stockyards Act” by five weeks.  The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association welcomed the extension while urging USDA to proceed in a deliberate manner.    “While we appreciate th...

The Washington Cattlemen's Association has concerns about the federal government getting involved in issues between beef producers and meat packers. The WCA’s Mark Streuli said government intervention to try and make things more equitable between producers and packers is a delicate issue. "This is de ...

Ask industry experts and they’ll tell you the challenging economic conditions Oregon cattle producers are facing predate inflation, the pandemic and the trade war. Todd Nash, President of the Oregon Cattlemen’s Association said their struggles started seven years ago. “Wh ...

What needs to happen to process more cattle, not only to remove the existing backlog, but also ensure growing demand is met domestically and internationally? Cameron Mulrony, Executive Vice President of the Idaho Cattle Association, said it’s not just about hook space, but also finding people to work in those processing plants. ...

The House voted 418-9 to advance legislation that would extend the authorization for Livestock Mandatory Reporting through September 30th, 2022. House Agriculture Chairman David Scott said that does not preclude market reforms to help independent producers ...

Oregon's Ron Wyden and Montana's Jon Tester announced this week they are working with Republican Senators Chuck Grassley of Iowa and Deb Fischer of Nebraska rolling out the Cattle Price Discovery and Transparency Act. The compromise cattle market bill is part of the effort to "to return fairness to the cattle marketplace dominated by four major meatpackers" ...

The House Agriculture Committee will advance several bills Thursday, including one supporters says will boost cattle contract transparency. The bipartisan, industry-backed Cattle Contract Library Act is expected to boost contract transparency and producer leverage in negotiating with packers, a top concern in the highly concentrated industry ...

R-CALF recently submitted comments to the USDA that identified two factors as, what the organization called the core structural problems causing the current crisis in the U.S. cattle industry. R-CALF CEO Bill Bullard said the first factor, concentration in the beef packing sector, created the second problem ...