Listen to this episode and others at https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/conservative-news-briefs/id1514212991
Some shelves are empty. Those that aren't have beef prices skyrocketing. Is this really from the coronavirus? Technically, no.
Most Americans aren't familiar with the scam that's controlling the beef market in America. To be fair, it hasn't really affected us in a tangible way unless you're a cattle rancher. The prices of beef products have been affordable so few are asking questions. But with the so-called "meat shortage" spawned from the coronavirus crisis, more questions are being asked and lawsuits are finally making national news.
In reality, there is no actual "beef shortage." There's an infrastructural issue caused by logistical failures from the four big meat packing companies in America, namely Tyson Foods, JBS, National Beef and Cargill. But even these "failures" are being artificially prolonged. There's money to be made, and while we have absolutely no problem with good ol' fashioned capitalism, these Big Four meat packers are taking advantage of the system to hurt both cattle ranchers and beef consumers.
One can argue that it's not their fault, that they're just playing the cards that they've been dealt by the federal and state governments over the decades. Regulations have been so ubiquitous and obtuse in the meat packing industry that these four companies control all of the pricing on both ends of the transaction with barely a concern for supply and demand. They can artificially inflate or deflate the market. More importantly, they can take advantage of situations that give them cover, such as the coronavirus crisis.
In reality, they could end the so-called meat shortage simply by opening up supply lines appropriately. But doing so isn't as profitable as shrinking the stock on shelves. Doing so means they can charge more for beef while paying ranchers less to supply them. Less labor and other costs combined with supply surpluses and heightened consumer fears makes for the most profitable scenario for the Big Four, and that's exactly what we're seeing today.
In this episode of Conservative News Briefs, JD and Tammy do a deep dive into the industry and expose the problems that were there long before the coronavirus crisis reared its ugly head.
This meat shortage is manufactured by the Big Four beef packers. Ranchers know it. Congress knows it. Now, the people have to see the truth and call them out for taking advantage of a crisis.
RetroFuture Clean by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4277-retrofuture-clean
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
