Healthy soil and sustainable growing

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Family ranchers fighting growing meatpacking
industry*<http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2007/08/24/news/wyoming/21
-meatfamily.prt>

Story available at
http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2007/08/24/news/wyoming/21-meatfamil
y.txt

Published on Friday, August 24, 2007.

*By The Associated Press*
MOVILLE, Iowa _ Eric Nelson, a fourth-generation rancher and farmer who
operates a feedlot here, isn't looking for more government cash like many
farmers are. But he's still hoping for a little help when the Senate
debates
a farm bill this fall.

Nelson and many other family ranchers in the Midwest and West are hoping
Congress can help them fight the gradual consolidation of the meat
industry,
which they say is hurting their business. A handful of large meatpacking
companies slaughtered 80 percent of steers and heifers in 2005, up 30
percent from 20 years ago.

"We just want a level playing field, an environment in which we can be
profitable," Nelson said. "Give us true competition and we'll take care of
ourselves."

Ranchers who own smaller operations have long sought changes in the law
that
would help their operations stem growing competition from the larger
companies. And with new political dynamics in Congress, that could happen
this year.

The laws won't be changed without strong opposition from some cattle
groups.
The National Cattlemen's Beef Association, which represents many of the
larger meatpackers along with some smaller outfits, says changing the way
the cattle business operates is a challenge to the free market.

"We have no doubt we will have to continue to explain why a cattleman
should
continue to be able to sell cattle to whoever he wants," Jay Truitt, a
lobbyist for NCBA, said of the upcoming Senate debate.