NFU Blog

The first paragraph in this morning’s CongressDaily AM says it all:

The early months of the 110th Congress have not seen a week like the one ahead, as both chambers will grapple with more significant issues and legislation at once than they have so far in this young session. 

That’s true for NFU this week as well. On Wednesday, Missouri Farmers Union President Russ Kremer will be testifying on rural communities’ access to broadband and Kansas Farmers Union President Donn Teske will be testifying on increased input costs.

Of course, that’s just the beginning of what’s on tap for this week. Check back often and visit nfu.org for all the latest National Farmers Union news.

NFU President Tom Buis just returned from Capitol Hill following his testimony before the Senate Agriculture Committee.

Click here to read the full testimony.

Click here to read the news release and listen to audio.

NFU President Tom Buis will appear before the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry this morning to discuss “Economic Challenges and Opportunities Facing American Agricultural Producers Today.”

For more information on the hearing, including a live audio feed, you can go to the committee’s website.

Check back to see Buis’ complete testimony.

NFU recently released a study conducted by Drs. Mary Hendrickson and William Heffernan of the University of Missouri on the concentration of agricultural markets.

The study documents that the top four beef packers dominate 83.5 percent of the market, four pork packers control 66 percent of that market and the top four poultry companies process 58.5 percent of the broilers in the United States. Tyson Foods is listed in the top four of each of these categories. The retailing industry has been gradually increasing its degree of concentration, with the top five companies controlling 48 percent of U.S. food retailing, compared to 24 percent a decade ago.

The good news is that ethanol production is the only agricultural sector in which concentration has steadily decreased. Today, the top four companies control 31.5 percent of the marketplace. In 1987 the top four companies owned 73 percent. Farmer owned ethanol plans account for 39 percent of total capacity.

Click Here to See the Concentration Tables.

NFU President Tom Buis testified before the House Agriculture Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy and Poultry yesterday on the negative effects of increased concentration and lack of competition in the agricultural marketplace and the need for Congress to take action in the next farm bill through a competition title.

Read Buis’s Testimony