The Senate Agriculture Committee held a hearing this week to discuss challenges and opportunities in the poultry and livestock sectors.
The National Farmers Union defended much-needed market relief efforts because of the current low prices and a consolidated market facing farm families.
Producers faced a drop in beef prices last year despite forecasts of higher than average prices.
USDA forecasts show lower prices and higher beef production into 2017, and NFU President Roger Johnson said that will make it tough for producers to recover financial losses from the recent decline.
The situation is more troubling because of a sharp decline in the number of family farmers and ranchers over the last decade due to a heavily concentrated cattle market.
That makes it tougher for independent producers competing against packers.
Roger Johnson said at the hearing that “the marketplace is tipped disproportionately against the family producer.”
He said four packers currently account for 70 percent of the value of all livestock purchased for slaughter.
