Organization for Competitive Markets

OCM_PR_Outpouring_GIPSA_Support Consumer and Producer groups combined to show support for proposed regulations of the Department of Agriculture that would provide producers and consumers a break they haven’t experienced in over 90 years. Many advocacy groups have joined OCM in these matters. Please read the press release on the list of advocacy groups and for more information regarding OCM’s role in the proposed GIPSA rule.

broken_markets Vested interests in animal slaughter have mounted a campaign against reinvigoration of laws designed to protect the market for producers’ market-weight animals, and for retail use by consumers, too. The facts are no barrier to what is said from time to time. This OCM Briefing Paper declares that it is time for a meaningful discussion on how to fix cattle markets and restore profitability to beef cattle production in…

ocmgipsanew Many political organizations closely affiliated with major beef, pork and poultry integrators attacked J. Dudley Butler, administrator of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s GIPSA for his attempts to update GIPSA regulations of meatpackers. David Domina, general counsel for the Organization for Competitive Markets, notes the packer-friendly gropus have these accusations backwards. Download the complete press release above:

by Randy Stevenson, President When people engage in debate about the market, there is frequently an almost mediate division based on the left-right political spectrum. This remains true even though we can see many examples of error from both sides. On the other hand, those who engage in detailed conversation about what the markets should look like and what role government should have in the marketplace ultimately find a great deal…

David Kruse President, Comstock Investments Copyright 2010@ CommStock Investments, Inc., David Kruse Whenever corn prices rise, we need to hand another dry crying towel to the NPPC, NCBA and AMI as their tears will flow freely as they decry the injustices of ethanol, portrayed as the source of all livestock industry ills. Actually, they will claim to support ethanol, just not ethanol subsidies. If ethanol was not subsidized, they claim…

Published in The Stevenson Report by Randy Stevenson Rumor has it that some vet techs will write the abbreviation A.D.G. as the diagnosis of an animal they have briefly looked at and admitted into their care. Further inquiry enlightens us that A.D.G. simply stands for “Ain’t Doing Good.” There is scarcely a real cattleman that can’t look at a pen full of cattle and pick out the weak and sick…

by Richard Oswald They used to make miracles come true. I walked in the door, home from harvest for the evening, and came face to face with a 76 year old Hollywood miracle. I know, the wonders they create are only dreams, but every time Mr. Smith Goes to Washington on the living room TV set I have to stop and think. Most of us know the story of Smith,…

Thomas F. “Fred” Stokes, Executive Director The Beef Promotion and Research Act of 1985 (commonly referred to as the beef checkoff program) was born through producer initiative and referendum. Initially all voluntary, the checkoff became mandatory with the subsequent Farm Bill. I was among those who strongly supported the creation of it and I worked hard to ensure the referendum passed. Now, however, I believe the program has been hijacked…