By Jacqui Fatka
Farm Progress
Beef producers and economists shared the witness table at an unprecedented Senate Agriculture Committee hearing on June 23 -“Examining Markets, Transparency, and Prices from Cattle Producer to Consumer” - to allow senators to hear first-hand more about the many challenges facing the beef sector.
The hearing started off with a stark message from South Dakota auctioneer and cow-calf producer Justin Tupper that many cattle producers are receiving less than a 1% return, while the gross profit margin for packers are over 80%.