Montana cattle ranchers struggling despite record beef prices
By Russ Riesingerb | KXLH (Helena, Montana)
Beef prices jumped around 20% in 2021, but many Montana ranchers—who raise the cattle that eventually end up on the dinner table—say they’re not reaping the benefits you might expect.
“There are only four big corporations making the money. It’s not the farmers and ranchers–and the consumers they are not getting that benefit of affordable food anymore.”
Those four companies—JBS, Cargill, National Beef Packing, and Tyson now control almost 85% of the industry—up from just 25% a half-century ago in 1970.
JBS is a Brazilian owned company and they import Brazilian beef to the USA. Their ranchers cut down rainforest to have pasture for beef. There is a history of them importing rotten beef plus recently BSE beef – you can check it out on the web. Europe has banned Brazilian beef due to their slow response to sanctions.
Still though, it seems equally expensive to buy from local ranches. Just bought some selections from Skagit Valley Ranch and it was not inexpensive at all. Fortunately, I can afford the luxury of buying locally and from certified-humane providers (that’s my main consideration: that the animals are treated humanely until being sacrificed for human consumption), but I can’t see folks on budgets being afforded the luxury. Vegetarianism seems the sensible option, but I can’t seem to kick my decades-long ‘addiction’ to meat. Thanks to Ms DeCosta for her informative comment btw.