"Independent producers need Congress to act this year. This year, right now is our chance to get it right. Putting the issue off with further studies would only give the big packers the time they need to manipulate the market, kill off independent producers and, ultimately, control the whole industry.
"The lack of support from leading Democrats and Republicans in the farm-bill conference to ban packer ownership of livestock will result in a farm bill that's no where near as good as it should be for family farmers.
"Vertical integration and concentration in agriculture are the biggest threats to small and mid-sized farmers. They destroy the competitive environment. Consumers get shortchanged, too. The big packers make big claims about the cost savings that comes when they own, feed and kill livestock. The trouble is, none of that cost savings is ever passed on to the consumer at the meat counter. Instead, it's pocketed by the big packers at the expense of independent producers and consumers in rural and urban America alike."