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A rally for ‘fair cattle markets’ in Omaha

The groups behind a rally for fair cattle markets taking place today in Omaha are calling on President Trump to take actions to ensure fair markets.

Kansas cattleman and Organization for Competitive Markets director Mike Callicrate says the major beef packers are colluding to keep prices low.

“We play this sort of market game—kind of like fantasy football—like there’s actually a market, when there isn’t,” Callicrate says. “We’ve got CattleFax, NCBA—and USDA even—playing the game. But there is no live cattle market.”

Missouri farmer and Family Farms Action director Wes Shoemyer says President Trump should take executive action to rein in the beef packers.

“You don’t necessarily have to make them sell out or break up,” Shoemyer says. “But force them, like we have done in the past, to divest—to create satellite companies, if you will, so we have more access to different packers and create a competitive market throughout the country.”

The groups are also calling for reinstatement of Country of Origin Labeling.