[OKC] [ok-sus] Be careful or Big Ag will take your house

[Shauna Struby]

This is infuriating! This how big agribiz corporations like Tyson are
hurting our farmers and citizens. 

 

From: ok-sus-bounces at lists.oksustainability.org
[mailto:ok-sus-bounces at lists.oksustainability.org] On Behalf Of Harlan
Hentges
Sent: Monday, June 29, 2009 7:59 AM
To: 'Sustainability Issues in Oklahoma'
Subject: [ok-sus] Be careful or Big Ag will take your house

 

Why don't chicken farmers in eastern Oklahoma stand up against Tyson? 

Why don't they complain that Tyson uses Oklahoma's rivers as a sewer for the
chicken industry?   

Watch this video.  The answer is clear and simple.

 

 


Rancher takes on Tyson Foods | Video
<http://www.kfyrtv.com/News_video.asp?news=31541>  


Retha Colclasure


6/26/2009


 





 


 


Beef is king in the Dakotas.

And it`s how Herman Schumacher has made his living, by running a livestock
auction.

But a few years ago, he found out that he was being cheated.

He was selling his beef to Tyson, but the mega-meat packing company used
inaccurate prices that the USDA had published, and bought the beef for much
less than market value.

So he took them to court.

Now, Herman Schumacher isn`t allowed to go into his own home.

"They took me by surprise. They completely blindsided me," he says.

This "no trespassing" sign came after a jury said Tyson knowingly cheated
Schumacher, and thousands of other producers, out of millions of dollars.
But the decision was reversed on appeal. And Tyson went after Schumacher to
recover court costs.

"I think they`re doing it to make an example out of me, and that is that
we`re in charge. Meaning that if you speak out, you take us to court, this
is what ill happen. We will come and take your home," Schumacher says.

He, with R-CALF supporting him, says Tyson and other mega meat packers are
abusing the little guy, illegally manipulating prices, and getting away with
it.

"It`s not only too big to fail, folks, it`s too big to regulate. USDA is
afraid to touch Tyson. Congress is afraid to touch Tyson. And what we`ve
learned here at Schumacher`s front door is that the court system is afraid
to touch Tyson," says Bill Bullars, CEO of R-CALF USA.

The heart of the issue is the Packers and Stockyards Act of 1921. The act is
designed to keep corporations from cheating producers out of their money.
But R-CALF says it`s not being enforced.

"When we lose our markets, we lose our freedom. When we lose our markets and
we fight the people who stole the markets, you see what Herman gets on his
door. You not only potentially lose your freedom, you potentially lose your
house," says Mike Callicrate, another plaintiff in the case.

They also lost millions of dollars that Tyson kept when buying their beef.

R-CALF says its not just an issue about producers, this affects consumers as
well when it comes to food safety and security.

"Through the abusive and manipulative practices of Tyson and the other meat
packers, US food producers are being driven out of business, and this
threatens the safety and security of the consumer`s food supply," Bill says.

He says since Tyson began dominating the poultry market, poultry has become
the number one source of food-borne illnesses. And he worries that beef is
next.

Schumacher says the no trespassing sign on his home isn`t just on his
door... he says it`s also figuratively on the door of any producer who would
try to stand up to Tyson.

 

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