Washington, D.C. — Two Iowans spoke at a Senate hearing on cattle markets Wednesday. Jon Schaben, the owner of Dunlap Livestock Auction, says something needs to be done to help independent producers.
He says the money those producers receive has declined dramatically.
He says the large meatpackers controlling the industry is a concern.
Shane Miller of Sioux City is the group president of Fresh Meats at Tyson Foods. He had a different view of what is going on with beef prices.
He says the shutdown of plants caused by the pandemic made the situation worse.
Miller says Tyson provides several options to producers.
Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley is on the Judiciary Committee and says had strong reservations about consolidation within agriculture and the livestock industry for more than 20 years.
