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NCBA - The epitome of ignorance or pit of corruption? NCBA promotes Tyson's highly concentrated, centrally planned economic system of serfdom to cattlemen... In a recent letter, NCBA President Lynn Cornwell explained that Tyson/IBP, the largest U.S. packer, does not feed cattle. Lynn, for your information, IBP does feed cattle, but worse yet they control many more market wrecking cattle inventories through their formula and contract arrangements. Lynn, when will you learn that IBP, Cargill, ConAgra, and Farmland don't tell the truth? Packer ownership and control of livestock gives packers the ability to manage the price of their highest input, livestock. Compared to last year, finished cattle are $140 lower, retail beef prices have increased 9%, justifying approximately $160 per head higher price for live cattle...a difference of $300 per head. That is the worst example of abusive market power by powerful retailers and packers like Wal-Mart and Tyson/IBP in history. It is pure and simple theft by the most powerful beef monopoly in history! NCBA does not represent cattlemen (read following article), they represent big meat packers. Contrary to NCBA's double speak, only the top five biggest packers, who are controlling our cattle market, are affected by the ban on packer ownership. (See OCM article on page 8 ). The ban on packer ownership must read "ownership and control" if it is to be effective in restoring competition. September 11th (the opportunity for beef packers to exploit and destroy the cattle market) will be for cattlemen what eight cent hogs in 1998 were for independent pork producers. Lynn, just remember, it was under your watch that independent cattlemen were bankrupted and turned into "chicken farmer" serfs.
Mike
Callitrate
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