U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer visited Brooks’ House of Bar-B-Q in Oneonta on Monday, May 25 to announce legislation aimed at breaking up meat company monopolies and restoring industry competition.
Schumer, the Democratic Senate minority leader, framed his announcement around the rising costs of Memorial Day barbecue essentials, particularly meat.
After a moment of silence to recognize and honor Memorial Day, he said that lack of competition allows for dominance in the meat market of four major companies — Tyson Foods, JBS, Cargill and National Beef — which collectively control 67% of the pork, 60% of the chicken and 85% of the beef markets in the United States.
“Local businesses like Brooks’ House of Bar-B-Q want to keep their prices down, but they get hurt by big corporations and suppliers rigging the game against them,” Schumer said. “As grocery costs keep soaring, this bill will work to fix it.”
The companies set high prices, impacting consumers and small businesses, Schumer said. To combat those price hikes, he introduced the Family Grocery and Farmer Relief Act, which he hopes to include in the next federal budget.
Provisions include:
Forcing the largest companies to specialize in only one type of meat (beef, chicken or pork)Breaking up the beef market monopolies in particularRestricting foreign conglomerates from distorting U.S. marketsDirecting the Federal Trade Commission to investigate and act against price gougingInvesting in local farmers and growing local supply chains
“This bill is centered around making meat more affordable, ensuring farmers see the profits and putting the needs of working middle-class people ahead of the interests of powerful corporations,” Schumer said. “It’s not fair that just a small handful of companies dominate the entire meat industry. When they control that much, they set the prices for the whole country, and they set them high.”
Local leaders expressed hope the legislation would bring relief to families, small businesses and veterans struggling with high food costs.
Brooks’ owner Ryan Brooks said his restaurant, which has been an Oneonta dining staple for 75 years, faces challenges due to rising food costs, increased utility bills and other expenses.
“We average roughly 900,000 pounds of chicken a year, 200,000 pounds of beef and about 300,000 of pork,” he said. “One small hike is really a huge hike for us that we have to absorb and get super creative with, and it’s just something we have to really focus on every day.”
Gary Flaherty, a retired U.S. Army command sergeant major and chief administrator for the Oneonta Veterans Outreach Center, said that rising food and fuel costs also have impacted veterans, forcing some into difficult choices between feeding their families and caring for their pets.
Maureen Hennessy, a retired case manager, said families in rural areas need support from leaders. Rising food prices are forcing families to buy less nutritious food and rely more on assistance programs, she said.
Former Oneonta mayor John Nader said he supported the legislation and called for restoring competition to benefit consumers.
“All of us who live in this area love this area, and really value the quality of life here,” Nader said, “but as Ryan (Brooks) pointed out, the margins are very narrow, and not just for businesses. The margins are very narrow for households today, because of the costs of everything from gasoline to utilities to virtually any food that we can think of.”