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NDFU Voices Concern at USDA/DOJ Workshop
The USDA/DOJ held a workshop in Fort Collins, CO on Friday Aug. 27 that focused on competition in the livestock industry. Attorney General Eric Holder and Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsak listened to testimony regarding lack of competition in the livestock market.
“The new Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyard Administration (GIPSA) rules or the farmer/rancher
bill of rights needs clarification, but also needs to move forward and become permanent to create fair
competition among all sectors of the livestock industry,” said North Dakota Farmers Union Vice President
Woody Barth, who attended the event. “Market concentration limits buyers allowing an unfair farm
to retail spread. The concentration is also leading to food safety issues, which directly affects the consumer.”
National Farmers Union had two members on the speaker panel, Chris Peterson, Iowa Farmers Union
President and Armando Valdez, Rocky Mountain Farmers Union member, both are livestock producers
who highlighted the need for reform in the livestock industry, citing increased concentration, which
pushes out competition and creates incredible difficulties for family producers.
Family farmers and ranchers made up the great majority of the attendees, with packer-producer organizations represented on a much smaller scale. The workshop had 1300 individuals registered for the event.
The realignment of the livestock industry has been damaging to farmers, ranchers and growers. In 1980,
there were more than 666,000 hog farms and 1.6 million cattle farms or ranches. Today, there are only
about 71,000 hog farms and 950,000 cattle farms or ranches. In 1980, hog producers received half of the
retail value of a hog but in 2009, they got less than one-quarter of the value. Similarly, in 1980, cattle
producers received 62 percent of the retail value but in 2009 received only 42.5 percent.
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Edinger Joins NDFU Staff
Carla Edinger has been hired as the North Dakota Farmers Union Outreach and Training Coordinator. Edinger started her staff position on August 3. Edinger is a soon-to-be college graduate from the University of Mary, majoring in Business Administration and minoring in Human Resources and will graduate in December 2011.
Edinger worked for North Dakota Farmers Union as the Transportation Associate from 2005 until 2009. Edinger is originally from Lusk, WY.
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NDFU Restaurant Most Booked in DC
JAMESTOWN, N.D. — Founding Farmers is the most booked restaurant in Washington D.C., according
to OpenTable Reservations D.C. Farmers & Fishers makes the list at number eight. OpenTable is a web
site that allows users to make online reservations and review. Last month over 500,000 people used the
web site to make reservations.
“The restaurants are beginning to see tremendous success. The key importance is that consumers truly
value knowing where their food is produced, bridging the gap between producer and consumer,” said
North Dakota Farmers Union President Robert Carlson. “NDFU is looking further at future plans with
each restaurant, as well as expansion.”
Agraria, LLC is the parent company of both Founding Farmers and Farmers & Fishers. Farmers &
Fishers opened in 2006 and Founding Farmers began business in 2008.
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to view pdf
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