AGPROfessionals’ Post

Western Valley cleared to buy Cargill’s Fresno beef plant, but must provide job protections California is requiring the meat producer to operate the facility for at least one year, saying a closure would limit dairy farmer options on where to send their cows. From an article in Agriculture Dive by Nathan Owens Article Excerpts: “Dive Insight: As meat processors seek to lower costs and sell off assets to consolidate operations, regulators are paying close attention to mergers and acquisitions that could spark market competition issues. Scrutiny around the Cargill sale comes as mass layoffs and meat processing closures in other states spark lawsuits from farmers and ire from local regulators. Tyson, for example, has been the target of a lawsuit from two local poultry farmers who claim the meat giant’s move to close a Missouri plant was part of an “anticompetitive and fraudulent scheme” to raise prices.” Link to the article: https://lnkd.in/emm4HpAs

It's a shame private companies have to go after oligopies instead of the FTC, but if it works, it works. You KNOW McDonald's purchasing power meant they were paying bottom dollar for beef, relative to what a consumer would pay. 🌟 "McDonald’s, the world’s largest buyer of beef and pork, is seeking an undisclosed amount in monetary restitution" ~Supply Chain Dive (https://lnkd.in/eFAAw_28) 🌟"The meat producers have denied any wrongdoing in related cases that have been consolidated in Minnesota federal court. The plaintiffs in those cases include BJ’s Wholesale, Sodexo, Target and Aldi." ~Reuters (https://lnkd.in/e_b3WpzF) 🌟"McDonald's claims that the meat packers began colluding at least as early as January 2015, and that the practice is ongoing." ~Fox Business (https://lnkd.in/eepjS6-S) 🌟"In 2018, 25 million pounds of fresh and frozen beef was sold in the U.S. Four of the major meat manufacturers that are currently being sued represented 80% of said sales McDonald’s alleged in its lawsuit. The following top competitor, which is not being sued, held only a 2% to 3% share of the market." ~Fortune (https://lnkd.in/eQPd3haG) 🌟"During the conspiracy period, the defendants experienced record profits, with JBS USA reporting net revenue of $27.18 billion in 2021, which is a 25.8% increase from its profits in 2014, according to the complaint. McDonald’s alleges the defendants concealed their behavior through a series of tactics, including: avoiding paper trails by communicating via phone; offering pretextual explanations for cattle prices and plant closures; and misrepresenting their compliance with antitrust laws, the complaint said." ~Bloomberg Law (https://lnkd.in/eN-XWWpX)

After more than seven years of litigation, contract poultry growers just got one step closer to justice last week. A federal judge granted farmers’ motion for class certification in an antitrust suit that alleges chicken companies conspired together to suppress their pay. This represents a major step forward for the poultry growers’ case and a broader triumph for efforts to challenge corporate wage-fixing. A group of poultry farmers allege that 21 companies representing 98% of U.S. chicken production colluded together to hold down their wages by sharing detailed information about farmer pay and agreeing not to poach or recruit growers from one another. This alleged conspiracy made it harder for growers to switch between chicken companies to obtain higher pay or better contract terms. It also allegedly allowed companies to monitor their competitors’ compensation and ensure a consistent, lower pay rate across the industry. The third-party information-sharing service in question, Agri Stats, has been embroiled in several private and federal antitrust suits. #sustainability #foodsystems #poultry

When Farmers Lose, We All Lose Our food, our communities, and our future depend on the hands of hardworking farmers. Yet, corporate greed threatens their livelihoods, squeezing them out of business and risking our food security. We need more transparency in our food system. When shopping for groceries, we should support ethical, sustainable, and socially responsible companies. We should also support our farmers, not corporations that prioritize profits over people. Let's work together to end corporate greed and protect the backbone of our society. Because when farmers lose, we all lose. Pilgrim's Pride to pay $100M in largest protein antitrust settlement The poultry processor, along with rivals including Tyson Foods and Perdue Farms, was accused of conspiring to suppress the pay of chicken farmers. Pilgrim's Pride will pay $100 million to settle a lawsuit alleging it conspired to underpay agriculture workers. It represents the largest settlement amount in the history of the protein industry, according to a court document filed last week with the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma. The poultry processor, a subsidiary of JBS, was accused by a group of farm worker plaintiffs of an “overarching conspiracy to suppress compensation paid to broiler farmers nationwide,” in collaboration with rival companies, according to the settlement. Several other chicken companies previously reached settlements in the same case: Tyson Foods, for $21 million; Sanderson Farms, for $17.75 million; KOCH FOODS, for $15.5 million; and Perdue Farms, for $14.75 million. The settlement amount from all of the alleged companies totaled $169 million. #sustainability #foodsystems #farmers #SupportFarmers #EndCorporateGreed #FoodSecurity #SustainableFuture

McDonald's accuses beef suppliers of price fixing. McDonald's has filed a lawsuit against beef suppliers including Cargill, JBS, National Beef Packing Company, and Tyson Foods, accusing them of conspiring to drive up the price of beef. The lawsuit alleges that the suppliers engaged in a conspiracy that began in 2015, resulting in artificially inflated beef prices. This legal action is part of a broader trend of purchasers taking legal actions against meat suppliers, following investigations by the U.S. Department of Justice into potential price-fixing activities within the industry. The lawsuit claims that the beef suppliers, which collectively account for over 80% of the U.S. beef supply, exploited their position in the market to increase their profit margins. McDonald's alleges that the suppliers coordinated on prices for cattle and slaughter volumes, leading to higher prices. The company also contends that the suppliers' actions disrupted the normal functioning of the cattle and beef market, resulting in inflated beef prices. McDonald's presented data indicating that after the alleged conspiracy began, the suppliers reduced the number of cattle slaughtered, while independent packers increased their slaughter volume. The company also noted that the price of cattle and beef no longer moved in tandem after 2015, and the spread between the price of cattle and wholesale beef increased significantly. In essence, the lawsuit accuses the suppliers of cutting cattle prices while maintaining inflated beef prices, leading to artificially high prices for beef. #McDonaldsLawsuit #PriceFixing #BeefSuppliers #ConspiracyAllegations #LegalAction #USDepartmentOfJustice #MeatIndustry #CattlePrices #PriceInflation #MarketManipulation

Just three years ago the CEO's of the big #meat packers processors were summoned to testify before Congress about coluding with each other to keep prices sky-high to get massive profits. But seems politicians sold out cattle #beef farmers probably for lobbying money kickbacks. This probably explainst why McDonald's and multiple other companies that buy meat including beef from the big meat suppliers are suing them over price fixing https://lnkd.in/e3jG-g5R Of-cause the reason McDonald's and many other #fastfood as well as #restaurant chains are suing the big-4 meat packers processors is because being supplied with sky-high priced meat while giving meal deals to cash-strapped customers results in their margings to plunge and them risk going into bankruptcy like TGI Fridays etc or have to shut lots of #restaurants locations. Of-cause Cargill prices so extreme high because they are wasting a fortune going from Synon2e to crap-SAP and very toxic with lots of clique favoritism buddy-friends ass-kissing sucking-up packs and labor/non-labor costs over 20x higher than should be and are a very pro-woke pro-dei company with Woke-DEI agendas so backlash boycotts. I offer high-paid solutions. Main article link:- https://lnkd.in/eAV9fE_7 #news US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Research Service (ARS) USDA FDA US Congress United States Senate Chris Kempczinski McDonald's Doug McMillon Walmart #economy #finance #cfo #ceo #cio #coo #economist #trader Federal Trade Commission

🚨 Industry Update: Tyson Foods Announces Major Changes 🚨 We are witnessing significant shifts in the agricultural sector as Tyson Foods, a key player in the American meat industry, recently announced the closure of three of its processing plants, resulting in the loss of over 1,000 jobs. This strategic decision highlights the challenges faced by the sector, including market dynamics and employment impacts. 📍 Locations Affected: Beef plant in Emporia, Kansas: 809 jobs Two Original Philly cheesesteak plants in Philadelphia: 229 jobs These closures are a continuation of Tyson's operational scale-back, with nine facilities closed since 2023. The decision, driven by the downturn in the cattle cycle and U.S. cattle shortages, reflects the harsh realities of market pressures and operational efficiencies. 🔍 Corporate Response: Tyson is taking steps to mitigate the impact on employees through job placement assistance and collaborating with local officials to support the affected workforce. 🌱 Community Impact: These closures not only affect the employees but also the communities where Tyson has been a major economic driver. The closures emphasize the need for adaptability in business strategies and community resilience. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/d4wyQSdc #TysonFoods #Meat #MeatIndustry #MeatBorsa

Brazilian beef giant JBS USA' IPO and listing on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) has suffered a major setback. The world’s largest beef producer JBS has been sued by famed New York Attorney General Letitia James for misrepresenting the environmental impact of their products. JBS has claimed that it will achieve net zero emissions by 2040, despite no substantive plans to do so and documented plans to increase its meat production, and therefore increase its carbon footprint. Beef production emits the most greenhouse gasses of any major food commodity, and animal agriculture accounts for 14.5% of annual global greenhouse gas emissions. How can the proposed JBS dual listing on the NYSE go ahead while JBS is being sued by the New York Attorney General for fraud, deception and illegality? Highlighted in the The New York Times, Mighty Earth's CEO Glenn Hurowitz said that New York Attorney General Letitia James’ lawsuit against JBS should be a warning sign to other companies that think environmental concerns can be easily dismissed. Read more from David Gelles and Manuela Andreoni with The New York Times ➡️ https://lnkd.in/dRX2u5yv Read our statement ➡️ https://lnkd.in/dJ7u7TWQ

RCL FOODS moves closer to portfolio restructuring, separates poultry business https://lnkd.in/dvUFakyn #rclfoods #poultry #restructuring

🐖 𝗔 𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗖𝗢𝟮 𝘀𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 can be achieved by omitting the globally widespread practice of castrating male piglets when they are a few days old.   Pig farmers have long been pushing to abandon the practice, while slaughterhouses, responsible for marketing the meat, are hesitant due to the costs involved in slaughtering entire male pigs for subsequent meat sales. 👨🌾 There is generally good economics in transitioning from a production of pigs based on castration to one without castration, but it is primarily the pig farmers who benefit financially, with slaughterhouses bearing the costs unless a balanced settlement method is established to ensure that both the slaughterhouse and the producer gain an economic advantage.   🐷 If your slaughterhouse is considering introducing the slaughter of non-castrated male pigs, you can find more information here: https://lnkd.in/dBNNXEFW