Please pass along any suggestions. Look forward to seeing some of you
there.
Best wishes,
Greg
Gunthorp's Pasture-ized Pork
LaGrange, Indiana
visit our farm at www.grassfarmer.com
----------
> From: Brian DeVore <Brian.A.Devore-1@tc.umn.edu>
> To: sanet-mg@shasta.ces.ncsu.edu
> Subject: AG CONSOLIDATION TOWN MEETING
> Date: Friday, April 09, 1999 2:56 PM
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> CONTACT: Mark Schultz, 612-823-5221; schul072@gold.tc.umn.edu
>
>
>
> APRIL 18 TOWN MEETING TO DISCUSS CONCENTRATION IN AGRICULTURE
>
>
>
>
> 4/9/99
>
>
> SOUTH SAINT PAUL, Minn. Ñ Consolidation in agriculture is occurring at
levels
> never seen before in our history, say agricultural economists and rural
> sociologists. The increasing power of multinational corporations to
control
> farmersÕ prices and market access means independent Midwestern producers
are
> being treated unfairly.
>
>
> This is being done through price manipulation and price discrimination,
said
> Mark Schultz, Policy Program Director for the Land Stewardship Project.
>
>
> ÒFarmers are being deliberately short-changed, literally,Ó he said. ÒThe
fact
> is, there are federal laws on the books to address the corporationsÕ
> competition-killing practices. However, the federal government has failed
to
> enforce the law. We need to change that situation.Ó
>
>
> On Sunday, April 18, farmers from throughout the Upper Midwest will have
an
> opportunity to pressure federal officials into enforcing antitrust laws
and
> holding the Cargills, Smithfields and ConAgras of the world accountable.
>
>
> The ÒTown Meeting on Concentration and Monopoly in AgricultureÓ will
begin at 1
> p.m. at the Best Western DroverÕs Inn, 701 South Concord Street, South
Saint
> Paul, Minn. (next to the Saint Paul Stockyards). For more information,
call the
> Land Stewardship Project, 651-653-0618. The DroverÕs InnÕs number is
> 651-455-3600.
>
>
> The meeting will feature Joel Klein, Assistant U.S. Attorney General,
Antitrust
> Division, and Michael Dunn, Assistant Secretary, USDA Marketing and
Regulatory
> Programs, Packers & Stockyards Programs.
>
>
> State lawmakers from five states, working with U.S. Senator Paul
Wellstone of
> Minnesota, provided the impetus for the meeting. The state legislators
involved
> in this special meeting include: Ted Winter (Minn.), Jack Kibbie (Iowa),
Frank
> Klocek (S. Dak.), Cap Dierks (Neb.) and Bruce Larkin (Kan.). Also
planning to
> participate are U.S. Senators Kent Conrad (N. Dak.), Tom Daschle (S.
Dak.),
> Byron Dorgan (N. Dak.), Charles Grassley (Iowa), Tom Harkin (Iowa) and
Tim
> Johnson (S. Dak.)
>
>
> Farmers will have an opportunity to discuss such issues as:
>
>
> ¥ The need for antitrust action in agriculture, with the Cargill
acquisition of
> Continental Grain serving as a case in point.
> ¥ The need for mandatory price reporting and restriction of the packersÕ
> ownership and control of marketed livestock.
> ¥ Excessive corporate profits during the long period of terribly low farm
prices
> for a wide range of commodities, including corn, soybeans, hogs, cattle,
wheat
> and others.
>
>
>
> ÒThis is an excellent opportunity for farmers to make their voices
heard,Ó said
> Schultz. ÒWeÕve got to make sure these public servants get the message
that they
> had better start doing their job.Ó
>
>
> ###
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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