Smithfield Food’s Deal Perpetuates Concentration and Lack of Competition
For Immediate Release: September 18, 2006
Contact: 202-554-1600WASHINGTON (September 18, 2006) – National Farmers Union President Tom Buis made the following statement after number one pork producer Smithfield Foods announced that it is purchasing number two producer Premium Standard Farms.
“This deal perpetuates the consolidation and concentration of the meat industry in the United States. Approval of merging the number one and number two pork producers all but guarantees independent producers will be left without a market.
“National Farmers Union has been steadfast in its call for the federal government to start playing an active role to ensure fair, open, transparent, accessible and competitive markets for all agricultural commodities. The current lack of enforcement of anti-trust laws has failed America’s food producers and consumers.
“Smithfield Foods is the number one pork processor and producer in the United States. Premium Standard Farms is the second largest producer, with 225,000 sows. With the announcement today, Smithfield Foods will attain over one million sows, far exceeding any competitor.”
