<![CDATA[Grist - Comment Feed for If deals go through, three firms will own 90 percent of the U.S. beef market]]> Grist Comment Feed en Comment #1 by Tasermons Partner http://www.grist.org/article/meat-wagon-beef-behemoth/ Wed, 05 Mar 2008 09:29:32 -0800 http://www.grist.org/article/meat-wagon-beef-behemoth/1 Sign of good things...

...there's actually good news underlying this:
http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/080305/beef_deals.html?.v=1

Most analysts said the deals were positive moves for the beef product industry, which also is struggling to regain full access to the export markets after scares stemming from mad cow disease.

The proposed consolidation, which will need regulatory approval, comes at a time when ranchers are struggling to maintain herds as they pay more for grain and other feed and as grasslands suffer because of persistent drought and competition for land with urban developers.

Today, there are more processing facilities and more space available in the plants than there are cattle, said Jay Truitt, a vice president of the Denver-based National Cattlemen's Beef Association.

Ranchers are paying "more money for head than at any time since we've started tracking those numbers," he said.

Tyson Foods Inc., the world's largest meat producer, already plans to close one of its processing facilities in Kansas, saying it has an overcapacity to process cattle.

Herds have remained stable at around 34 million fed cattle, the animals which are the source of the bulk of consumer products. "The more relevant factor is we should be growing," Truitt said.

At the same time, meatpacking plants have been coping with higher commodity prices for grain in animal feed and a troubled export market that only recently has begun to reopen to U.S. beef after the mad cow scares.


]]> Sign of good things...

...there's actually good news underlying this:
http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/080305/beef_deals.html?.v=1

Most analysts said the deals were positive moves for the beef product industry, which also is struggling to regain full access to the export markets after scares stemming from mad cow disease.

The proposed consolidation, which will need regulatory approval, comes at a time when ranchers are struggling to maintain herds as they pay more for grain and other feed and as grasslands suffer because of persistent drought and competition for land with urban developers.

Today, there are more processing facilities and more space available in the plants than there are cattle, said Jay Truitt, a vice president of the Denver-based National Cattlemen's Beef Association.

Ranchers are paying "more money for head than at any time since we've started tracking those numbers," he said.

Tyson Foods Inc., the world's largest meat producer, already plans to close one of its processing facilities in Kansas, saying it has an overcapacity to process cattle.

Herds have remained stable at around 34 million fed cattle, the animals which are the source of the bulk of consumer products. "The more relevant factor is we should be growing," Truitt said.

At the same time, meatpacking plants have been coping with higher commodity prices for grain in animal feed and a troubled export market that only recently has begun to reopen to U.S. beef after the mad cow scares.


]]> Comment #2 by Angry African http://www.grist.org/article/meat-wagon-beef-behemoth/ Wed, 05 Mar 2008 23:47:44 -0800 http://www.grist.org/article/meat-wagon-beef-behemoth/2 We eat meat - get used to it

I agree - how meat is offered to people are sickening. People don't know what they eat. But I am from Africa - and we love our meat. It is part of who we are and part of our culture. We don't look down at vegans. No matter how disgusted we are in their eating habits. So don't preach to us - respect us the way we respect others. And the way we respect the land. We eat meat - get used to it. We should really drop our attitudes towards meat and become a little more culturally sensitive. We don't want a new type of colonialism. Where people tell us how to live and what to eat. We have been there. And no thanks. We don't want to go back there. No matter how good your intentions. You had good intentions the last time. More on this in my blog at http://angryafrican.wordpress.com/2008/01/24/we-eat-meat- ...

]]> We eat meat - get used to it

I agree - how meat is offered to people are sickening. People don't know what they eat. But I am from Africa - and we love our meat. It is part of who we are and part of our culture. We don't look down at vegans. No matter how disgusted we are in their eating habits. So don't preach to us - respect us the way we respect others. And the way we respect the land. We eat meat - get used to it. We should really drop our attitudes towards meat and become a little more culturally sensitive. We don't want a new type of colonialism. Where people tell us how to live and what to eat. We have been there. And no thanks. We don't want to go back there. No matter how good your intentions. You had good intentions the last time. More on this in my blog at http://angryafrican.wordpress.com/2008/01/24/we-eat-meat- ...

]]> Comment #3 by caniscandida http://www.grist.org/article/meat-wagon-beef-behemoth/ Wed, 05 Mar 2008 23:57:43 -0800 http://www.grist.org/article/meat-wagon-beef-behemoth/3 There you go again, AngAf.

YOU will have to get used to your unfortunate cul-de-sac-de-stinking-bouche.

Chickens are our cousins! So are fish! So are other sentient animals! Let us learn to be kind.

]]> There you go again, AngAf.

YOU will have to get used to your unfortunate cul-de-sac-de-stinking-bouche.

Chickens are our cousins! So are fish! So are other sentient animals! Let us learn to be kind.

]]> Comment #4 by javaearth http://www.grist.org/article/meat-wagon-beef-behemoth/ Thu, 06 Mar 2008 00:58:15 -0800 http://www.grist.org/article/meat-wagon-beef-behemoth/4 Angry African dude - I have a few questions:

Do you wake up every morning and say the mantra  "I am from Africa - and we love our meat".

Why do you think eating fresh vegetables, grains and beans is disgusting?

Colonialism, - Africa was not the only country under oppression, - There was also India. And as an Indian woman, I am against oppression, but unlike you I actually try not to cause cruelty nor oppression to any other creature on this earth!

Instead of eating more dead animals, how about you actually help your fellow Africans, and feed them the grains. Stop feeding the grains to the animals that you eat! Help the millions of Africans that are starving every year because the food that should be going to them is being feed to animals! ... And maybe just maybe you'll be the kind compassionate African, versus the "Angry African"!

]]> Angry African dude - I have a few questions:

Do you wake up every morning and say the mantra  "I am from Africa - and we love our meat".

Why do you think eating fresh vegetables, grains and beans is disgusting?

Colonialism, - Africa was not the only country under oppression, - There was also India. And as an Indian woman, I am against oppression, but unlike you I actually try not to cause cruelty nor oppression to any other creature on this earth!

Instead of eating more dead animals, how about you actually help your fellow Africans, and feed them the grains. Stop feeding the grains to the animals that you eat! Help the millions of Africans that are starving every year because the food that should be going to them is being feed to animals! ... And maybe just maybe you'll be the kind compassionate African, versus the "Angry African"!

]]> Comment #5 by Tasermons Partner http://www.grist.org/article/meat-wagon-beef-behemoth/ Thu, 06 Mar 2008 01:03:24 -0800 http://www.grist.org/article/meat-wagon-beef-behemoth/5 Uh, this isn't Africa...

...this is an article in reference to America.  And the way Americans raise, slaughter, and serve meat is much different than in Africa (though both are usually unsustainable in the long-term).  

Over here it's almost all factory and giant feed lot operations, there are very few independant small-scale community and family cattle farms like there are in Africa.

]]> Uh, this isn't Africa...

...this is an article in reference to America.  And the way Americans raise, slaughter, and serve meat is much different than in Africa (though both are usually unsustainable in the long-term).  

Over here it's almost all factory and giant feed lot operations, there are very few independant small-scale community and family cattle farms like there are in Africa.

]]> Comment #6 by Jason D Scorse http://www.grist.org/article/meat-wagon-beef-behemoth/ Thu, 06 Mar 2008 01:33:22 -0800 http://www.grist.org/article/meat-wagon-beef-behemoth/6 Angry African can we get a dollar for every....

time you repeat yourself? Or are you actually a spambot in disguise paid by the meat lobby?

I teach environmental economics and blog at http://www.voicesofreason.info.

]]> Angry African can we get a dollar for every....

time you repeat yourself? Or are you actually a spambot in disguise paid by the meat lobby?

I teach environmental economics and blog at http://www.voicesofreason.info.

]]> Comment #7 by Matt http://www.grist.org/article/meat-wagon-beef-behemoth/ Thu, 06 Mar 2008 01:55:59 -0800 http://www.grist.org/article/meat-wagon-beef-behemoth/7 Africa.. The Book

Is Africa one country? I was always led to believe that it was a continent full of hundreds (thousands?) of diverse cultures and traditions. Is this incorrect?

I assume that what I was taught was incorrect and that all the people of Africa now speak with one voice... that's an amazing example of how people can work together! Good Job Guys!

If you continue to do what you've always done you'll continue to get what you've always got. - Yogi Berra

]]> Africa.. The Book

Is Africa one country? I was always led to believe that it was a continent full of hundreds (thousands?) of diverse cultures and traditions. Is this incorrect?

I assume that what I was taught was incorrect and that all the people of Africa now speak with one voice... that's an amazing example of how people can work together! Good Job Guys!

If you continue to do what you've always done you'll continue to get what you've always got. - Yogi Berra

]]> Comment #8 by Tom Philpott http://www.grist.org/article/meat-wagon-beef-behemoth/ Thu, 06 Mar 2008 03:55:02 -0800 http://www.grist.org/article/meat-wagon-beef-behemoth/8 Correction: Hendrickson and Heffernan

In an earlier version of this post, I referred to the redoubtable research team of Mary K. Hendrickson and William Heffernan as "Mary K. Hendrickson and William Hendrickson." I've corrected the error.

Victual Reality


]]> Correction: Hendrickson and Heffernan

In an earlier version of this post, I referred to the redoubtable research team of Mary K. Hendrickson and William Heffernan as "Mary K. Hendrickson and William Hendrickson." I've corrected the error.

Victual Reality


]]>