FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact: NMA
NATIONAL MEAT ASSOCIATION RESPONDS TO USDA CONCENTRATION ACTIONS
San Francisco, CA: February 15, 1996 -- National Meat Association Chairman Steven F. Spiritas, attending the organization's 50th Anniversary Convention in San Francisco, today applauded Secretary of Agriculture Dan Glickman's appointment of an Advisory Committee to address growing concerns among producers and others about competition and concentration in agriculture, but urged the Secretary to expand the Committee to include representatives of small and medium sized packers and processors.
Spiritas said, '' National Meat Association agrees with Secretary Glickman that 'many important questions remain unanswered' by USDA's new report on Concentration in the Red Meat Packing Industry. It is critically important that the Advisory Committee which considers these unanswered questions include not only producers and large packer representatives, but also representatives of small and medium size packers and processors. These small and medium sized businesses have to compete for both cattle supplies and meat customers with the largest concentrated companies. Without their participation, the Advisory Committee is seriously flawed.''
National Meat Association is a non-profit trade association representing meat packers and processors, as well as equipment manufacturers and suppliers who provide services to the meat industry. The association, with over 600 members throughout the United States, includes membership in Canada, Australia and Mexico.
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