ORGANIZATION FOR COMPETITIVE MARKETS

P.O. Box 6486

Lincoln, NE 68506

Web site: www.competitivemarkets.com

Date: June 28, 2002 For Immediate Release

Contact: Fred Stokes: 662.476.5568

Michael C. Stumo: 860.379.6199

OCM’s 2002 Food and Agriculture Conference on August 16 in Omaha

The Organization for Competitive Markets will hold its annual Food and Agriculture Conference on August 16, 2002 at the Doubletree Inn in Omaha, Nebraska. The focus will be on antitrust law and competition policy in agriculture. We will explore new ideas in advancing antitrust in legislation, in the courts and in the public mindset. As always, OCM will feature a multi-disciplinary approach drawing from many perspectives.

Speakers will present on the recent Farm Bill; they will compare and contrast efficiency claims with competitive concerns, they will discuss ongoing and potential litigation; and they will discuss opportunities for farmer-controlled food businesses. We will also feature Dr. John Connor of Purdue University who will discuss his new book, “Global Price Fixing: Our Customers are the Enemy.”

You are encouraged to register early by calling the Doubletree Hotel at 402.346.7600 to get advantageous hotel room rates (say you are with OCM). Return this email with the message “I want to register for the OCM meeting” and you will be sent a form to mail to OCM. Registration is $50 for early birds and $60 at the door. Dinner is $25.

The Farm Foundation and the Kerr Center for Sustainable Agriculture are providing generous financial support for this conference. OCM’s annual business meeting will be held the next day on Saturday morning.

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What: OCM’s 2002 Food and Agriculture Conference

When: 8:30 am to 5:00 pm plus dinner on August 16, 2002

Where: Doubletree Hotel, 1616 Dodge Street, Omaha, NE (reservations 402.346.7600)

Invitees: OCM members and all others interested in antitrust and agriculture

Agenda below

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Welcome & Opening Remarks

Fred Stokes, OCM president

2002 Farm Bill

Daryl Ray, Ag Policy Analysis Center, University of Tennessee

* public policy approach to market dynamics in row crops

Steve Etka, Campaign for Contract Ag Reform

* fairness and competition legislation

Competition v. Efficiency

Kyle Steigert, University of Wisconsin, Food Systems Research Group (invited)

* the approach of economics and industrial organization

Jon Lauck, author of “Towards an Agrarian Antitrust”

* the monopsony analysis

Greg Gundlack, Notre Dame Business School

* the contribution of marketing as a discipline

Competition and Fairness Litigation

Jim O’Connor, Maslon, Edelman, Borman & Brand, Minneapolis, MN

* price misreporting litigation

Dudley Butler, Butler Law Firm, Yazoo City, MS

* unfair trade practices litigation in poultry

David Domina, Domina Law, Omaha, NE

* market manipulation in the beef industry, Pickett v. IBP

The New Agriculture

USDA Rural Development representative

William Heffernan, professor emeritus, University of Missouri

Kyle Vickers, Mountain View Pork, Missouri

Jim Horne, author, The Next Green Revolution

Keynote Address at Dinner

John Connor, author, “Global Price Fixing: Our Customers are the Enemy.”

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OCM Annual Business Meeting: Saturday, July 21, 2000

8:30 am to 1:00 pm