Is lesser-quality meat the future for consumers? According to an article from Christopher Leonard with the Associated Press, a lack of competition in the domestic meat market “could eventually mean lesser-quality meat on dinner tables across the United States.”
The article quotes big names in the industry including Bill Bullard with R-CALF USA and Mark Dopp with the American Meat Institute. Bullard contends that the marketplace is broken. Dopp tells that there is still competition amongst meatpackers. This competition, he says, is just now at the contract level rather than the cash level.
In response to the article, Steve Foglesong with the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association wrote this editorial. UPDATE! R-CALF USA has now responded to Foglesong’s editorial. Bill Bullard’s statment is listed as a comment below the editorial in the above link.
© Northern Ag Network 2010
Haylie Shipp
