What if a producer could avoid the big food cartel and sell direct?
Rather than scaling up, and playing the fools game of “Get big or get out,” is it possible to scale back, improve meat quality, and sell more direct to the end consumer? With improved returns to the farm and ranch gate, investments can once again be made in livestock operations and in rural communities. Consistent returns, without the constant “Black Swan” events threatening our livelihoods, will also improve mental and physical heath, and perhaps, hopefully, the kids will want to take over some day.
Today, many bigger cattle operations, trapped in the extractive industrial supply chain, are unable to scale back. Building more local/regional food system infrastructure, along with aggressive antitrust enforcement, that profitably connects producers more directly with consumers, should provide pressure for a more competitive marketplace with improved price levels for all cattle operations nationally.
