Farming in America

Here’s how Tyson Foods, one of the largest meat producers in America, buys its chickens.  The company has contracts with over 5000 chicken farmers to raise broilers.  Tyson supplies the baby chicks, the feed, and instructions on how to raise the birds.  The chicken farmers are paid according to how much weight the birds gain compared to the amount of feed provided.

According to an article in the January 29 issue of Lancaster Farming, when a farmer named Alton Terry tried to organize some of the farmers to get a better deal with Tyson, Tyson cancelled his contract.  Tyson said it was because the farm needed expensive upgrades.  That, in turn, meant that Mr. Terry couldn’t even sell his farm, and it went into foreclosure.

It’s probably illegal to urge you not to buy Tyson foods, so I won’t urge that.