For years cattle ranchers along with other independent cattle producers across the US have called out the meat packing industry. Not much came out of the Covid pandemic but the meat packing industry was finally exposed. In 2020, reports and stories were being spread exposing the industry that has been hidden for decades. The meat packing industry is being controlled by 4 major coroporations. These include Tyson Foods, JBS, Cargill, and National Beef. Some say it's not a monopoly because it is split up. However, many people don't see all the hard work cattle producers do and how much they get screwed over.
Meat packers can make up to $400-$500 per head and sometimes up to $1,000 and purchase around 65,000 head a week. Do the math and thats $32,500,000 - $40,000,000 per week. They make all this money while cattle producers make an average of $655 dollars per head. This may seem like more, but people don't see all the work being done, the dead cattle that lose money for ranchers, the cost of vaccines, the cost to own land, and the cost to feed.
I think the meat packing industry is a huge scam and something should be done about it. Laws are being pushed to stop all of this but it needs more exposure so people know the truth. My family has a few feedlots and we rasie cattle for a living but people don't know the work that goes into it, especially the meat packers. I hope laws are passed and independent cattle producers get their money's worth.
Do you think the meat packing industry is a hidden monopoly?
Do you think laws should be passed or more rules established?
Sources
https://agamerica.com/blog/meatpacking-monopoly-legislative-updates/
Replies
I agree with you. Although there are 4 major companies, they all work together in some way and can get by with a lot of unfair stuff.
I am not very educated on this topic so I do not know what to really think of this topic. I could see why some people may think this could be a monopoly but I do not think it is a monopoly. I think we should have laws to make sure that it doesn't turn into one.
I don't really know much about this topic, but from what I have just read I think that the meat packing industry could be a secret monopoly. It seems to me that the ranchers aren't treated right, and they should get better prices. The cattle producers put a lot of hard work and time into raising the cows.
I agree with you. The media is exposing more and more about it so I am learning more myself but from what I have seen some regulations should definitely be set on it.
I wouldn't call it a monopoly because there are still different businesses in the meat packing industry. Of course, there are some businesses who have the main power in this sepcific industry and it might be harder for small businesses to compete. So, there could be some laws that help smaller businesses.
I don't necessarily think it is a monopoly. There are a lot of businesses that go into the meat packing industry and a lot of stores that sell it. Monopoly basically means one business is taking over the whole industry, and I don't see that happening.
In my opinion, I believe that it is a hidden monopoly. I feel this way because independent cattle producers do all of the work and pay for the costs of growing the cattle, while the four corporations just have to buy them and sell the food for a big profit. Personally, I believe that more laws should be passed to increase the cattle producers' share because they put in all of the work and make a smaller net gain than the meat packing industry.
I completely agree. Until you are in the business many people do not understand what goes into it and why it is a hidden monopoly in plain sight.
I think that it could be a hidden monoply. I think that people put tons of work into raising and buying cattle. People who raise the cattle do their chores morning and night. I hope that that the cattle producers get their money worth in these situations.
In my opinion the meat packing industry is a hidden monopoly. Many people don't know the work that goes into getting or rasining cattle. People with cattle work very hard to get theri work done. I hope single cattle producer get there money worth.
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