Fight Big Ag and Save Small Dairy Farms
The goliath-like power of Big Agriculture has created an unfair market and made it almost impossible for small dairy farms to survive.
In the past 16 years, half of American dairy farms have gone out of business, and processing and distribution has become dominated by just a few huge organizations, like the Dairy Farmers of America co-op and processor Dean Foods. The DOJ Antitrust Division has repeatedly allowed unrestrained takeovers and market abuses in dairy at the expense of both America's dairy farmers and consumers, and it's time we put a stop to it.
As a result of this skewed market, we risk being forced to rely on more factory farms and imported milk substitutes that compromise public and environmental health and safety. And if the government fails to act, thousands more dairy farmers stand to lose their farms and their livelihoods this year.
Take action to fight back against corporate control of America's farms. Tell Attorney General Holder to follow through on the investigations of Dairy Farmers of America and Dean Foods.
Dear Attorney General Holder,
I am greatly concerned about the lack of competition in the food and agricultural sectors and how this negatively impacts America's family farmers and consumers as they work to feed their families food that is safe, healthy and nutritious.
For too long, agribusiness corporations have been allowed to consolidate. Now their market power has created unfair prices that farmers are paid for their goods, the ever-increasing prices that they pay for inputs and the price that consumers pay at the grocery store. Excessive market concentration has also created an overly centralized food system that is prone to massive food safety outbreaks and has empowered mega agribusiness corporations that continue to demonstrate a blatant disregard for environmental and labor laws.
[your comments will be inserted here]While I am encouraged by the recent Department of Justice suits filed against Dean Foods investigating their excessive market concentration in the dairy industry, these investigations are long overdue. For the past 18 months dairy farmers in America have faced their worst crisis since the Great Depression as the price they are paid for their milk has dropped more than 50% since December 2008. At the same time, giant dairy processors and co-ops have raked in record profits while dairy farmers are losing their farms and struggling to make ends meet just to feed their families.
I encourage you to enforce U.S. antitrust laws to return a fair and level playing field in the food and agricultural sectors and break up corporations that have violated these laws.
America's farmers, specifically our dairy farmers, deserve justice, before it's too late.
