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Biden's Plan To Address Meat-Price Inflation Ignores That Federal Intervention Caused the Problem
Reason ^ | January 8, 2022 | Baylen Linnekin

Posted on 01/08/2022 7:22:48 AM PST by karpov

President Joe Biden and his administration are moving to fight inflation in the meat sector. But the government solutions he's proposing to what is largely a government-created calamity will likely only serve to deepen existing problems.

Many of the meat-industry problems the Biden administration identifies as in need of fixing are very real. For example, the administration says meat prices are through the roof. That's true. The administration says the meatpacking industry is highly consolidated, with just four giant companies responsible for slaughtering and processing nearly 7 out of every 8 pounds of beef (and slightly lower amounts of pork and poultry) we eat every year. That's true, too. (It was also largely true 20 years ago and 100 years ago.) The Biden administration has also argued large meatpackers have been busy "raising prices, underpaying farmers—and tripling their profit margins during the pandemic." Also true.

The Biden administration believes meat prices are sky high due largely to this industry consolidation and lack of competition.

"When dominant middlemen control so much of the supply chain, they can increase their own profits at the expense of both farmers—who make less—and consumers—who pay more," the administration announced this week. "Most farmers now have little or no choice of buyer for their product and little leverage to negotiate, causing their share of every dollar spent on food to decline."

But that analysis conveniently ignores the role of the federal government in creating and maintaining the very system—the thing the administration says eliminates the choices and leverage farmers and ranchers should have—that the Biden administration is decrying loudly.

(Excerpt) Read more at reason.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Editorial; Government
KEYWORDS: beef; food; meat; meatpackers; usda

1 posted on 01/08/2022 7:22:48 AM PST by karpov
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To: karpov

Big Oil, Big Pharma, now Big Meat?


2 posted on 01/08/2022 7:24:16 AM PST by P.O.E.
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To: karpov

You will always have a job if you can solve the problems that you create.


3 posted on 01/08/2022 7:28:07 AM PST by silent majority rising
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To: karpov

Interesting article.

A little short on specific recommendations.


4 posted on 01/08/2022 7:33:55 AM PST by DannyTN
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To: karpov

The elites in government spend money causing problems and then spend even more “fixing” them. Its one big con job, and it keeps them in power.


5 posted on 01/08/2022 7:34:29 AM PST by Starboard
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To: silent majority rising

You will always have a job if you can solve the problems that you create.

*************

Its a nice system for those who prosper in the power structure. Amazing that the American public goes along with it.


6 posted on 01/08/2022 7:36:29 AM PST by Starboard
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We will be like the norks soon…eating the tastiest tree bark porridge…


7 posted on 01/08/2022 7:41:45 AM PST by TnTnTn
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To: silent majority rising

No. They never solve anything. Name one thing government t hasn’t made worse.

It is “You will always have a job if your only job is to creat problems.”


8 posted on 01/08/2022 7:43:24 AM PST by ProtectOurFreedom (81 million votes...and NOT ONE "Build Back Better" hat)
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To: silent majority rising

You will always have a job if you can solve the problems that you create.

This happened to me...I was employed at a large photo
finishing company as a maintenance man. One of my co
workers used to slip behind the printers at close of day
and put pieces of paper between the relays.
In the morning they wouldn’t work so he would be called
to fix them which he did by pulling them out, putting a
chair behind them and reading the newspaper and after a while
he would pull out the slips and say “Try it” and wow, they
would be fine. They thought he was a wonder, kept him
and fired me.


9 posted on 01/08/2022 7:50:45 AM PST by tet68 ( " We would not die in that man's company, that fears his fellowship to die with us...." Henry V.)
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To: silent majority rising

You will always have a job if you can solve the problems that you create

Not true. Create the problem. Form the bureaucracy. Get the funding budget and pretend like you are doing something to fix it, all the while making it worse, and getting more in the budget to keep making it worse.

It’s called the NAACP Playbook!


10 posted on 01/08/2022 7:56:56 AM PST by The MAGA-Deplorian ( 2022 - VOTE THE BUMS OUT —— ALL OF THEM! RE-ELECT NO ONE!)
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To: karpov

Federal Intervention Caused the Problem

After 40 years in D.C. he learned nothing even a chimp after years of training can learn to count.
He’s called slow Joe for a reason.


11 posted on 01/08/2022 8:47:39 AM PST by Vaduz ( )
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To: tet68

Your Co-Worker was a Democrat no doubt.


12 posted on 01/08/2022 10:15:29 AM PST by silent majority rising
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To: karpov

Nothing will be done. This is a WEF nudge, like used cars. You will eat your 3D printer, lab grown and veggie meat and like it.


13 posted on 01/08/2022 10:51:43 AM PST by M_Continuum
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To: karpov

The evil middleman he speaks of is usually a lobbyist!


14 posted on 01/08/2022 12:05:37 PM PST by 100%FEDUP (I'm seeing RED!)
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