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High beef prices and the destruction of independent cattle ranching

mattstoller.substack.com

11–20 of 259 posts

Re: High beef prices and the destruction of independent cattle ranching

#11

This is happening to every industry. There is an obvious consolidation and massive wealth transfer still ongoing. Sickening

Independent physicians come to mind as another example. Many have gone to work for large providers that can negotiate better rates with insurance.

Re: High beef prices and the destruction of independent cattle ranching

#13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> This is what unions are for They're independent companies. They aren't employed by anyone. They aren't labour they're owners. That's not what a union is for.

Correct, that is what a cartel is for

Isn’t a cartel more about illicit collusion (often outright illegal) rather than forming a public organisation to act collectively?

Re: High beef prices and the destruction of independent cattle ranching

#14

As a small farmer, I can tell you: independent small-scale farming is not profitable in any meaningful manner. Government is actively killing it, by giving away every possible concession to Big Ag. The food in stores is pretty much all garbage compared to food raised on small farms. It sickens me to see things go this way, but this is the reality that we have created.

I am someone who usually gets their beef from costco, small middle eastern markets and sometimes when its on sale at the neighborhood grocery store (Publix). Would you mind sharing in what ways what I'm consuming is trash compared to what comes from small farms?

Re: High beef prices and the destruction of independent cattle ranching

#15
post #12

Quoted post unavailable.

Could you please stop taking HN threads further into flamewar? We've already had to ask you about this, and you've continued to do it repeatedly. We end up having to ban accounts that do that, so if you'd please review https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html and fix this, we'd appreciate it.

https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html

Re: High beef prices and the destruction of independent cattle ranching

#16

As a small farmer, I can tell you: independent small-scale farming is not profitable in any meaningful manner. Government is actively killing it, by giving away every possible concession to Big Ag. The food in stores is pretty much all garbage compared to food raised on small farms. It sickens me to see things go this way, but this is the reality that we have created.

The food in stores is cheap. And that matters to consumers more than whatever alleged quality small-time farmers can produce (was food actually better a hundred years ago? Doubt).

Re: High beef prices and the destruction of independent cattle ranching

#17
post #14

As a small farmer, I can tell you: independent small-scale farming is not profitable in any meaningful manner. Government is actively killing it, by giving away every possible concession to Big Ag. The food in stores is pretty much all garbage compared to food raised on small farms. It sickens me to see things go this way, but this is the reality that we have created.

I am someone who usually gets their beef from costco, small middle eastern markets and sometimes when its on sale at the neighborhood grocery store (Publix). Would you mind sharing in what ways what I'm consuming is trash compared to what comes from small farms?

It's true; it is. This year I bought half of a red angus cow straight from the farm. It turns red when it gets cooked. It's a sight to behold. The stuff you buy at the costco has been frozen and unfrozen at least twice before you buy it. That's already a meaningful difference. They clearly treat it with some sort of coloring agent.

In the 30 years I have cooked meat, nothing can prepare you for real beef that comes straight from the source. If it's USDA approved it ain't right.

Re: High beef prices and the destruction of independent cattle ranching

#18

This is happening to every industry. There is an obvious consolidation and massive wealth transfer still ongoing. Sickening

front page headline above the fold in the pre-millenial Hunter Gatherer Times,

> This is happening to every industry. Sickening

the article goes on to say:

There is an obvious consolidation and massive wealth transfer still ongoing. There are people among us settling down on plots of land and growing more food than they can eat themselves, putting both hunters and gatherers out of work. Some of those unemployed hunters and gatherers are now sitting around and making more mocassins than their families can wear, and trading them with the farmers. Since there is already too much food and footwear, still others are reduced to making purely decorative clay objects and toys and trading them for food and footwear! And what about our shamans? There's this guy Moses who's got all the rules carved in stone for easy reference instead of oral story telling. All in the name of productivity and efficiency, alien ideas in our lands. These are scary times!

Re: High beef prices and the destruction of independent cattle ranching

#20

As a small farmer, I can tell you: independent small-scale farming is not profitable in any meaningful manner. Government is actively killing it, by giving away every possible concession to Big Ag. The food in stores is pretty much all garbage compared to food raised on small farms. It sickens me to see things go this way, but this is the reality that we have created.

The food in stores is cheap. And that matters to consumers more than whatever alleged quality small-time farmers can produce (was food actually better a hundred years ago? Doubt).

(was food actually better a hundred years ago? Doubt).

It absolutely was, but of course there was less of it. Have you ever had real farm fresh eggs from a free range chicken? It's a completely different thing from those white shells with bright yellow yolks you get at the grocery store. Same goes for vegetables. Ever had a home grown tomato? Those things are worth their weight in gold. The grocery store version is really just a bunch of water in the shape of a tomato.

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