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Jun 14

“MODERN MEAT CONSUMER ENJOYS THE MERE ILLUSION OF CHOICE” – 4 COMPANIES, 75% MARKET.

300px-Texas_Longhorn_cow

TEXAS LONGHORN COW – from Wikipedia.

6-11-2014 washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblogs. This article

by Roberto A. Ferdman focuses on his interview with Christopher

Leonard – whose book on mergers and acquisitions in the US meat

industry looks at fast-paced consolidation. ARTHUR – “These

essential nuggets of evidence show potential for ownership

of meat in the hands of one company or of ownership by the state – if

an essential industry “fails” – as in General Motors or General Beef. “

The POST has produced a CHART that easily and dramatically shows

the concentration of ownership of US meat production. For example,

between 1977 and 2012 – 35 (thirty-five) years – four firms moved from

control of 25 percent of the market to 75 percent of the market – 300 percent.

SEE June 9, 2014 Post story by Lisa Baertlein on TYSON’s $5.5 billion

purchase of HILLSHIRE BRANDS – producers of JIMMY DEAN

sausages and BALL PARK franks.