Jon Tester: “First, in production agriculture, we are not price makers, we are price takers. When you have 80 percent consolidation…”

“First, in production agriculture, we are not price makers, we are price takers. When you have 80 percent consolidation in the meat packing industry, you don't have much choice when they don't have this language in the Packers and Stockyards Act. If you are talking about rewarding a grower because they have less fat, or bigger ribeye size, or leaner beef, this doesn't stop that from happening. I believe there are enough attorneys in the room that if you read this Packers and Stockyard Act in its entirety, which is about a page, you will find out that the alleged business justification applies to when you are restraining commerce or creating a monopoly. If you want a free market system, which you talked about, this body needs to pass this amendment so there is a free market in the pork, poultry, beef industry. Pork, by the way, is more consolidated than beef. Chickens are worse yet. All I want for farmers and ranchers and the people in production agriculture--the cow/calf operators, in particular--is that they get a fair shake.”