The U.S. agriculture sector is experiencing an abnormally increasing level of concentration in its pricing system, giving just a handful of companies virtual dominance over the overproduction and consumption of food. This has led hundreds of thousands of hard-working family farmers to abandon their farmland and has harmed rural economies, public health and our environment. Several efforts to restore equity and competition in the agricultural sector are long overdue and would potentially transform the landscape of our food system to benefit the entire country, not just a few. Nearly every inch of America's food supply chain is more concentrated than at any time in decades. From the producers of agricultural products such as pesticides and equipment to customers, the rapid growth of corporate power has left small farm and ranch owners quite vulnerable to exploitation by these institutions with which they do business (Willingham and Green, 2019) . Over time, numerous mergers and acquisitions by corporate organizations in agricultural markets have occurred and continue to exert their influence in the industry. These corporate entities would continue to exert a negative influence on the market, leaving farmers and ranchers exposed to exploitation and unfair practices if left unchecked. For consumers, unbridled corporate power translates into higher prices and less healthy choices. As a result of their market influence, organizations can easily reduce payments to farmers without passing their savings on to consumers. There has been serious unfair play in the agricultural market where large companies use their ability to exclude small farmers. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essayTwenty years ago, in the United States, chicken products were sold whole and not in pieces; today, more than 90 percent of the chicken sold in the United States has been cut into pieces, cutlets, or nuggets (Schlosser 140). In 1992, chicken consumption in the United States exceeded beef consumption for the first time (Schlosser 140). It transformed a loose agricultural commodity into a factory-made value-added product” (Schlosser 139). The nation's chicken meat was traditionally supplied by hens too old to lay eggs, so Tyson Foods formulated a new species of chicken to facilitate the production of McNuggets; the new breed had unusually large breasts. Tyson Foods emerged as a major chicken producer after signing the McNugget contract (Schlosser 140). The Tyson food company raises poultry, which is then taken to independent contractors to be raised and fed. Next, Tyson collects the chickens to slaughter and then sells them (Schlosser 140). Independent contractors work with companies like Tyson Foods to raise poultry. The chicken farmer or independent contractor provides the land, labor, coops and fuel. These costs further push poultry farmers into debt. Nearly half of the country's chicken farmers abandon their business after running it for three years, selling it off or losing everything” (Schlosser 141). Most independent contractors who complain or object risk being out of work and going into serious debt. Large organizations make sure to protect the majority of the meat market by creating standing agreements with food processing companies. They likewise own and operate all the different means ofproduction, including feed mills, slaughterhouses and chicken farms (Douglas and Leonard). The part of the market that larger companies don't own is the farm itself. Independent farmers take out millions of dollars in loans to build adequate homes where they care for thousands of chickens (Douglas and Leonard). Independent contractors raise animals under a written agreement with an integrated company, which gives them control over the farm's operations. Poultry companies have control over the chickens, the feed, and the medical care of the chickens. The only option available to farmers is to raise birds as much as possible since most of the enterprise is out of their hands (Douglas and Leonard). Large corporations have complete control over independent poultry farmers and how chickens are raised. Large companies hire independent contractors to avoid their liabilities. Poultry farmers get into debt, have to pay huge investments and are not paid enough. The closure of these small farmers has caused them considerable difficulty in selling their products, which has financial implications. The leading sectors of the American economy were controlled by corporate alliances known as trusts. There was the sugar trust, the steel trust, the tobacco trust, and the beef trust. It is the trust that sets the prices for the livestock, which was not favorable to the farmers. A federal investigation into the trusts was launched, leading to an antitrust lawsuit. Meatpacking companies that hold 55% of the market reached an agreement near the end of the trial. Congress created a federal agency known as the Packers and Stockyard Associations, with the authority to prevent monopolistic behavior and price fixing in the beef industry. The association was charged with establishing that a farmer who shows harm resulting from an unfair practice is not required to also demonstrate competitive harm to the broader market; Require processors to update written records of differential prices or data used to calculate farmers' wages, and to provide farmers with information about their rate upon request. This trust also prevents packers from purchasing livestock from each other or having one buyer represent multiple packers at an auction. To eliminate competitive bidding, these trusts increase market transparency by requiring that companies provide a sample of contracts to the USDA, which are made available to the public. Currently, there are rules that directly oversee how market conditions are established, although they do not. adequately protect typical farmers. To demonstrate fairness and incorporate market interests, some reforms need to be made to the rules on agricultural production and marketing of products. The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) oversees processes that aid in the successful marketing of U.S. agricultural products. Congress, regulators, and the community have a role to play to ensure that competition is managed fairly. Many of these programs are regulated and establish principles and requirements through the federal regulatory process. Mandatory Market Reporting: Two laws establish mandatory electronic market and price information requests. The Mandatory Market Reporting Act of 2010 requires the USDA to release information on dairy sales each week, and for livestock, the Mandatory Reporting Act also directs the USDA to release understandable data on the marketing of livestock to producers,.
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