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<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Corbel","sans-serif";
color:blue'>This is infuriating! This how big agribiz corporations like Tyson
are hurting our farmers and citizens. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Corbel","sans-serif";
color:blue'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> ok-sus-bounces@lists.oksustainability.org
[mailto:ok-sus-bounces@lists.oksustainability.org] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Harlan
Hentges<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Monday, June 29, 2009 7:59 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> 'Sustainability Issues in Oklahoma'<br>
<b>Subject:</b> [ok-sus] Be careful or Big Ag will take your house<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>Why
don’t chicken farmers in eastern Oklahoma stand up against Tyson? <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>Why
don’t they complain that Tyson uses Oklahoma’s rivers as a sewer for the
chicken industry? <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>Watch
this video. The answer is clear and simple.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Rancher
takes on Tyson Foods</span></b><b><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:
"Arial","sans-serif"'> | <img width=12 height=12 id="_x0000_i1025"
src="cid:image001.jpg@01C9F9CD.0C8C1A10"><a
href="http://www.kfyrtv.com/News_video.asp?news=31541" target="_blank">Video</a>
</span></b><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><i><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Retha
Colclasure</span></i><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>6/26/2009<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><span
style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><img border=0
width=450 height=337 id="_x0000_i1026"
src="cid:image002.jpg@01C9F9CD.0C8C1A10"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><span
style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><span
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<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Beef is
king in the Dakotas.<br>
<br>
And it`s how Herman Schumacher has made his living, by running a livestock
auction.<br>
<br>
But a few years ago, he found out that he was being cheated.<br>
<br>
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.<br>
<br>
So he took them to court.<br>
<br>
Now, Herman Schumacher isn`t allowed to go into his own home.<br>
<br>
"They took me by surprise. They completely blindsided me," he says.<br>
<br>
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.<br>
<br>
"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.<br>
<br>
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.<br>
<br>
"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.<br>
<br>
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.<br>
<br>
"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.<br>
<br>
They also lost millions of dollars that Tyson kept when buying their beef.<br>
<br>
R-CALF says its not just an issue about producers, this affects consumers as
well when it comes to food safety and security.<br>
<br>
"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.<br>
<br>
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.<br>
<br>
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.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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