Whole Foods’ recent decision to centralize buying for its U.S. stores will likely make it much harder for smaller producers of organic and natural foods to get to market. The move could thus further solidify the control of the corporate food giants currently dominating the organic and natural foods sector.
Read MoreThe Department of Agriculture last week finally proposed rules to protect poultry farmers from abusive and discriminatory practices by giant chicken processing companies. Called the Farmer Fair Practices Rules, the new rules come 6 years after the Obama Administration first attempted to regulate the industry, then retreated under heavy pressure from pro-Big Ag representatives in Congress. Some in the industry believe the USDA action comes too late to deliver any real change for farmers.
Read MoreCattle prices hit historic lows in some parts of the country in November, even as the first shipments of Brazilian beef arrived in U.S. ports after the USDA’s recent decision to lift a 13-year-old ban on that country. Ranchers say the combination will likely drive many American ranchers out of business.
Read MoreThe most recent attack by American ranchers on the Department of Agriculture’s beef checkoff tax reached a federal court two weeks ago. The suit, filed by the Ranchers-Cattlemen Action Legal Fund (R-CALF), challenges how the checkoff program operates in Montana. But the outcome of the case could reshape how the checkoff tax system operates across the whole country.
Read MoreAmazon has applied for licenses to open liquor warehouses in Columbus and Cincinnati that would allow the company to sell beer, wine, and liquor for delivery as well as carryout. This move is the latest in the company’s increasingly aggressive attempts to position itself as a dominant player in brick-and-mortar food as well as online beverage retail.
Read MoreOklahomans vote November 8 on a Big Ag-backed proposal to limit the ability of citizens to regulate agricultural activity within the state. If passed, State Question 777 would add language to the state constitution requiring any new agricultural legislation to undergo strict scrutiny in the courts, making it harder for residents to improve environmental, animal welfare, and water standards in the state.
Read MoreIn a September 20 hearing on Capitol Hill, executives from Monsanto, Bayer, Syngenta, Dow and DuPont defended their plans to merge into three giant agrochemical companies. Under questioning by Senators on the Judiciary Committee, they emphasized that the deals would increase their companies’ ability to “innovate” and to develop better seeds and agricultural chemicals.
Read MoreAnheuser-Busch InBev is angling to control every shelf of your local beer store, and they’re doing it behind the scenes. That may seem surprising, given that the Belgian company has made headlines this year with its nearly complete $108 billion acquisition of SABMiller, the second-largest beer company in the world. But many in the industry see control over distribution, even more than deals, as the real source of ABI’s growing market power. And though the Department of Justice’s July approval of the merger seems to promote competition and place checks on the company’s pursuit of growth, those checks may not prove strong enough to rein in the beer giant.
Read MoreAs the summer winds down, here’s a look at some of the biggest stories in food and agriculture consolidation.
Read MoreDairy farmers in the Northeast and Midwest are dumping massive quantities of milk, as a sharp decline in exports has driven milk prices down to a seven-year low. Meanwhile, independent farmers and members of Congress say that a new USDA insurance program designed to keep struggling dairy farmers in business is failing to do the job.
Read MoreFarmers, workers, and consumers alike may soon feel the effects of further consolidation in the already concentrated industry of grocery retail. On July 22, the Federal Trade Commission approved the latest in a long series of supermarket mergers, further concentrating control over U.S. food markets in the hands of a few giant corporations.
Read MoreAfter months of debate, Congress in early July established a national standard for the labeling of foods that contain ingredients that have been genetically modified (GMOs). President Obama is expected to sign the bill, officially called the National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard.
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