Studies of Meat and Poultry Industry Structure
"The beef and pork industries are quite complex and contain both spatial and temporal dimensions that can affect the level of competition."
The changes that have occurred in meat and poultry industry structure and in procurement practices have prompted concerns by some, translating into calls for government reviews and investigations to ensure that the industry is abiding by the antitrust laws. Dozens of such reviews have occurred and are linked below. Key studies are summarized here (pdf).
A recent, 2013 analysis of the totality of studies of meat packing structure by agricultural economist Michael Wohlgenant, Ph.D., of North Carolina State University had the following conclusion:
“Studies on market power in meatpacking indicate that concentration in procurement of livestock (cattle or hogs) has not adversely affected prices received by producers or prices paid by consumers. Indeed, there is evidence that producers may be better off because of lower processing costs due to the concentration and introduction of new technical innovations. Policies to restrict alternative marketing arrangements such as those proposed by GIPSA would make producers and consumers worse off. The beef and pork industries are quite complex and contain both spatial and temporal dimensions that can affect the level of competition. Fringe producers because of locational shift of industry and thin markets may be worse off. Establishment of niche enterprises may benefit these producers. In the future, incentives are to maintain steady long-run supplies of livestock to fully operate slaughtering and processing facilities.”
Chronological Listing of Studies and Investigations of
Meat and Poultry Industry Structure and Practices
- 2021
-
The U.S. Beef Supply Chain: Issues and Challenges, Proceedings of a Workshop on Cattle Markets (pdf)
Edited by Bart L. Fischer Joe L. Outlaw David P. Anderson Agricultural and Food Policy Center Texas A&M University - 2020
-
Analysis of USDA’s Boxed Beef and Fed Cattle Price Spread Investigation Report (pdf)
by Dave Juday, The Juday Group -
Boxed Beef & Fed Cattle Price Spread Investigation Report (pdf)
USDA -
Economic Impacts of COVID-19 on Food and Agricultural Market (pdf)
Co-chairs: Jayson Lusk, Purdue University and John D. Anderson, University of Arkansas - CAST The Council for Agricultural Science and Technology -
Economic Reasons for What was Observed in Fed Cattle and Beef Markets During the Spring of 2020- White Paper (pdf)
Stephen R. Koontz, Department of Agricultural & Resource Economics – Colorado State University -
A Synthesis of Economic Costs and Benefits of AMAs to the Cattle and Beef Industry – White Paper (pdf)
Stephen R. Koontz, Department of Agricultural & Resource Economics – Colorado State University - 2013
- Competition in the US Meatpacking Industry, Michael K. Wohlgenant, Department of Agricultural & Resource Economics, North Carolina State University, Annual Review of Resource Economics (2013)
- 2010
- Proposed GIPSA Rules Relating to the Chicken Industry: Economic Impact, FarmEcon LLC (pdf)
- An Estimate of the Impact of GIPSA's Proposed Rules, Informa (2010) (pdf)
- Economic Impact of Proposed GIPSA Rule, John Dunham and Associates (2010)
- 2007
-
GIPSA Livestock and Meat Marketing Study (pdf)
Prepared for Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyard Administration U.S. Department of Agriculture by RTI International - An Antitrust Modernization Commission: Report and Recommendations (2007) (pdf)
- 2006
- Food Industry Mergers and Acquisitions Lead to Higher Labor Productivity, Economic Research Service, USDA (2006) (pdf)
- 2005
- Market Integration of the North American Animal Producers Complex, Economic Research Service, USDA (2005) (pdf)
- Structural Changes in the Meat, Poultry, Dairy, and Grain Processing Industries, Economic Research Service, USDA (2005) (pdf)
- Effect of Food Industry Mergers and Acquisitions on Employment and Wages, Economic Research Service, USDA (2005) (pdf)
- 2004
- Agricultural Concentration USDA (2004) (pdf)
- 2003
- Economic and Structural Relationships in U.S. Hog Production Economic Research Service, USDA (2003) (pdf)
- Interstate Livestock Movement Economic Research Service, USDA (2003) (pdf)
- Technological Changes in Beef and Pork Production: Effects on Marketing Margins and Prices John M. Marsh, Gary W. Brester, Department of Agricultural Economics, Montana State University (2003) (pdf)
- U.S. Hog and Poultry Marketing: Similar Paths, Similar Outcomes? Economic Research Service, USDA (2003) (pdf)
- 2002
- Controversies in Livestock Pricing Economic Research Service, USDA (2002) (pdf)
- The U.S. Food Marketing System, 2002: Competition, Coordination and Technological Innovations in the 21st Century Economic Research Service, USDA (2002) (pdf)
- Vertical Coordination of Marketing Systems: Lessons from the Poultry, Egg and Pork Industries, Economic Research Service, USDA (2002) (pdf)
- Where's the Beef? Small Farms Produce Majority of Cattle Economic Research Service, USDA (2002) (pdf)
- Comments on Economic Impacts of Proposed Legislation to Prohibit Beef and Pork Packer Ownership, Feeding or Control of Livestock (2002) (pdf)
- 2001
- Statement of JoAnn Waterfield, Deputy Administrator, Packers and Stockyards Programs, GIPSA, USDA, before the Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development and Related Agencies (2001) (pdf)
- 2000
- Structural Change and Competition in Seven U.S. Food Markets Economic Research Service, USDA (2000) (pdf)
- Structural Change and Competition in U.S. Chicken and Turkey Slaughter Economic Research Service, USDA (2000) (pdf)
- FoodReview: Understanding Structural Change in the Food Industry Economic Research Service, USDA (2000) (pdf)
- Consolidation in Meatpacking: Causes and Concerns Economic Research Service, USDA (2000) (pdf)
- 1999
- Econometric Analysis of Fed Cattle Procurement in the Texas Panhandle Iowa State University and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (1999) (pdf)
- Packer Concentration and Captive Supplies Clement E. Ward, Oklahoma State University (1999) (pdf)
- U.S. Beef Industry: Cattle Cycles, Price Spreads and Packer Concentration, Economic Research Service, USDA (1999) (pdf)
- USDA Actions on Concentration USDA (1999) (pdf)
- Vertical Coordination in the Pork and Broiler Industries: Implications for Pork and Chicken Products Economic Research Service, USDA (1999) (pdf)
- Consolidation in U.S. Meatpacking Economic Research Service, USDA (1999) (pdf)
- 1998
- Agricultural Concentration James Mintert, Ph.D., Department of Agricultural Economics, Kansas State University (1998) (pdf)
- Packer Concentration, Captive Supplies and Feed Cattle Prices John D. Lawrence, Director, Iowa Beef Center (1998) (pdf)
- 1996
- Concentration in the Red Meat Packing Industry, Packers and Stockyards Program, GIPSA, USDA (1996) (pdf)
- Effects of Concentration on Prices Paid for Cattle Packers and Stockyards Programs, GIPSA, USDA (1996) (pdf)
- 1994
- Managing for Today's Cattle Market and Beyond, Packer Concentration and Captive Supplies, Oklahoma State University, Kansas State University (1994) (pdf)
- 1990
- Beef Industry Packer Market Concentration and Cattle Prices, General Accounting Office (1990) (pdf)
