4 ms·

processing. https://www.ers.usda.gov/amber-waves/2024/january/concentration-in-u-s-meatpacking-industry-and-how-it-affects-competition-and-cattle-prices/ https

processing. https://www.ers.usda.gov/amber-waves/2024/january/concentration-in-u-s-meatpacking-industry-and-how-it-affects-competition-and-cattle-prices/ https://www.ers.usda.gov/amber-waves/2024/january/concentrat...

s1artibartfast 2y ago
Looks to be an interesting article, but I dont understand which side that comes down on or how it fits into the big picture. A big gap between farm price and wholesale would support the idea that farmers could be competitive by cutting them out. Indeed, it sounds like more are because farmers (or feedlots) are creating new processors. Alternatively, if huge processors are hyper efficient, then what is going on in Switzerland? Why could I buy local meat and milk that was half off the market, and even cheaper than the US from farms?
- solarpunk 2y ago
  in america the meat processing companies use prison labor paid in pennies an hour. (along with child labor)
  - solarpunk 2y ago
    someone asked for a source, then immediately deleted their comment so here's one: https://apnews.com/article/prison-to-plate-inmate-labor-investigation-c6f0eb4747963283316e494eadf08c4e https://apnews.com/article/prison-to-plate-inmate-labor-inve...
  - tstrimple 2y ago
    Child labor is absolutely coming back in Republican led states. https://www.epi.org/blog/iowa-governor-signs-one-of-the-most-dangerous-rollbacks-of-child-labor-laws-in-the-country-14-states-have-now-introduced-bills-putting-children-at-risk/ https://www.epi.org/blog/iowa-governor-signs-one-of-the-most... > Last Friday, this concerted attack on child labor safeguards further expanded. Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds signed an expansive bill enacting numerous changes to the state’s child labor laws, including: > allowing employers to hire teens as young as 14 for previously prohibited hazardous jobs in industrial laundries or as young as 15 in light assembly work; > allowing state agencies to waive restrictions on hazardous work for 16–17-year-olds in a long list of dangerous occupations, including demolition, roofing, excavation, and power-driven machine operation; > extending hours to allow teens as young as 14 to work six-hour nightly shifts during the school year; > allowing restaurants to have teens as young as 16 serve alcohol; and > limiting state agencies’ ability to impose penalties for future employer violations.
- wenc 2y ago
  Swiss farmers are highly subsidized and there are high tariffs for imports. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_Switzerland#Agriculture https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_Switzerland#Agricul... This follows from Swiss neutrality -- you have to protect your domestic food supply to ensure food security. Local milk might be more expensive than imported in Switzerland, but if you compare the prices of 1 gal (3.785L) milk in NYC (USD 5.53/CHF 4.96) vs Zurich (USD 7.24/CHF 6.49), it's more expensive in Zurich. https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/compare_cities.jsp?country1=United+States&city1=New+York%2C+NY&country2=Switzerland&city2=Zurich https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/compare_cities.jsp?cou...
  - s1artibartfast 2y ago
    What about the difference between the Swiss farm and the Swiss market? I was getting fresh milk from a farm for 1chf/L and meat for half Zurich prices.

s1artibartfast 2y ago

Looks to be an interesting article, but I dont understand which side that comes down on or how it fits into the big picture. A big gap between farm price and wholesale would support the idea that farmers could be competitive by cutting them out. Indeed, it sounds like more are because farmers (or feedlots) are creating new processors. Alternatively, if huge processors are hyper efficient, then what is going on in Switzerland? Why could I buy local meat and milk that was half off the market, and even cheaper than the US from farms?

solarpunk 2y ago
in america the meat processing companies use prison labor paid in pennies an hour. (along with child labor)
- solarpunk 2y ago
  someone asked for a source, then immediately deleted their comment so here's one: https://apnews.com/article/prison-to-plate-inmate-labor-investigation-c6f0eb4747963283316e494eadf08c4e https://apnews.com/article/prison-to-plate-inmate-labor-inve...
- tstrimple 2y ago
  Child labor is absolutely coming back in Republican led states. https://www.epi.org/blog/iowa-governor-signs-one-of-the-most-dangerous-rollbacks-of-child-labor-laws-in-the-country-14-states-have-now-introduced-bills-putting-children-at-risk/ https://www.epi.org/blog/iowa-governor-signs-one-of-the-most... > Last Friday, this concerted attack on child labor safeguards further expanded. Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds signed an expansive bill enacting numerous changes to the state’s child labor laws, including: > allowing employers to hire teens as young as 14 for previously prohibited hazardous jobs in industrial laundries or as young as 15 in light assembly work; > allowing state agencies to waive restrictions on hazardous work for 16–17-year-olds in a long list of dangerous occupations, including demolition, roofing, excavation, and power-driven machine operation; > extending hours to allow teens as young as 14 to work six-hour nightly shifts during the school year; > allowing restaurants to have teens as young as 16 serve alcohol; and > limiting state agencies’ ability to impose penalties for future employer violations.
wenc 2y ago
Swiss farmers are highly subsidized and there are high tariffs for imports. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_Switzerland#Agriculture https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_Switzerland#Agricul... This follows from Swiss neutrality -- you have to protect your domestic food supply to ensure food security. Local milk might be more expensive than imported in Switzerland, but if you compare the prices of 1 gal (3.785L) milk in NYC (USD 5.53/CHF 4.96) vs Zurich (USD 7.24/CHF 6.49), it's more expensive in Zurich. https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/compare_cities.jsp?country1=United+States&city1=New+York%2C+NY&country2=Switzerland&city2=Zurich https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/compare_cities.jsp?cou...
- s1artibartfast 2y ago
  What about the difference between the Swiss farm and the Swiss market? I was getting fresh milk from a farm for 1chf/L and meat for half Zurich prices.