Jan. 24, 2017
Leah Douglas wrote for CNN about the crisis faced by cattle ranchers in the U.S., who are hammered by consolidated meatpackers at home and imports of Brazilian beef from abroad.
While President Donald Trump won praise as president-elect for his efforts to protect manufacturing workers against imports and off-shoring, and even though one of his first actions in office was to withdraw the United States from the Trans-Pacific Partnership, he has thus far largely ignored the plight of America's ranchers and farmers. In his first 100 days, he should take action to confront this year's crisis in the beef industry. And that means addressing the growing power of the meat monopolists whose control of both domestic slaughterhouses and imports are driving American ranchers and farmers out of business.