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From AP:
NORMAL, Ala. — Chicken farmers are telling federal officials in Alabama that they lack power and have little ability to deal with the big poultry companies that control the industry.
The farmers testified Friday at Alabama A&M University, where the U.S. Departments of Justice and Agriculture held a hearing on competition in the chicken industry.
Fifty-seven-year-old Gary Staples of Steele raises birds for Pilgrim's Pride, one of the nation's biggest poultry companies. He says farmers are seeing poultry companies demand more but pay less.
Richard Lobb, a spokesman for the National Chicken Council trade group, says the hearing was skewed with testimony from unhappy farmers but many are satisfied with contracts that allow them to sell a steady supply of chickens.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.
NORMAL, Ala. (AP) — Alabama chicken farmer Gary Staples told federal officials Friday that there's no open market in the poultry industry.
The 57-year-old farmer from Steele raises birds for Pilgrim's Pride, one of the nation's biggest poultry companies. But like other farmers who raise most of the chickens Americans eat, he doesn't own the birds he raises, nor does he determine what food they eat or medicine they get. Pilgrim's Pride controls that.
Staples joined dozens of other chicken farmers who traveled to Alabama A&M University for a hearing the U.S. Departments of Justice and Agriculture held on competition in the chicken industry. Although they raise birds for different companies, the farmers said they have little power to negotiate with the businesses that control an increasingly consolidated industry.
Staples and other farmers said they have been putting up with more demands and smaller payments from the poultry companies. In some regions, farmers only have one or two potential buyers, so it's hard to make demands. Staples owes more than $1 million on his farm, and he doesn't want to upset Pilgrim's Pride.
"The chicken companies know they don't have to treat you fairly," Staples said.
NORMAL, Ala. — Chicken farmers are telling federal officials in Alabama that they lack power and have little ability to deal with the big poultry companies that control the industry.
Fifty-seven-year-old Gary Staples of Steele raises birds for Pilgrim's Pride, one of the nation's biggest poultry companies. He says farmers are seeing poultry companies demand more but pay less.
Richard Lobb, a spokesman for the National Chicken Council trade group, says the hearing was skewed with testimony from unhappy farmers but many are satisfied with contracts that allow them to sell a steady supply of chickens.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.
NORMAL, Ala. (AP) — Alabama chicken farmer Gary Staples told federal officials Friday that there's no open market in the poultry industry.
The 57-year-old farmer from Steele raises birds for Pilgrim's Pride, one of the nation's biggest poultry companies. But like other farmers who raise most of the chickens Americans eat, he doesn't own the birds he raises, nor does he determine what food they eat or medicine they get. Pilgrim's Pride controls that.
Staples joined dozens of other chicken farmers who traveled to Alabama A&M University for a hearing the U.S. Departments of Justice and Agriculture held on competition in the chicken industry. Although they raise birds for different companies, the farmers said they have little power to negotiate with the businesses that control an increasingly consolidated industry.
Staples and other farmers said they have been putting up with more demands and smaller payments from the poultry companies. In some regions, farmers only have one or two potential buyers, so it's hard to make demands. Staples owes more than $1 million on his farm, and he doesn't want to upset Pilgrim's Pride.
"The chicken companies know they don't have to treat you fairly," Staples said.
