“Intensified Management Status” of, 126, 130, 131
Laotian immigrants as, 45–46, 113, 114–15, 118–20, 123, 124–25, 127–31, 132–37, 138–39, 141, 142–43
“ledger” contracts of, 239
legislative attempts at creating protections for, 244, 245, 250–52, 255, 256, 263, 280, 283, 284, 287–89, 291–94, 295, 299–301, 302
as modern-day “sharecroppers”/“serfs,” 3, 68, 114–15, 231, 237, 283, 289
month-to-month contracts offered to, 193–94, 198, 232
in pork industry, 152, 156, 157–58, 159, 162, 168, 184, 188, 190, 191, 192–94, 196, 198, 200, 201, 202, 203, 204–5, 209, 227, 232, 236, 237–40, 241, 244, 246, 253, 287, 311, 316
in poultry industry, see chicken farming, industrial
Tabor-Moline’s investigation into, 236–40
Tabor’s speech on tougher protective regulation for, 244–46, 247
targeted retaliation by companies against, 4, 36, 37–38, 43, 239, 244, 250, 269
terms and conditions for, 24–25, 30, 192, 193, 239
tournament system of pay for, 24, 33, 105–6, 114–17, 119, 120–22, 124–25, 126, 127, 130–32, 137, 139, 145, 192, 226, 239, 256, 257, 273, 284, 292, 293–94, 299–300, 301
Tyson as canceling agreements with, 126, 138, 140, 143, 193–94, 237
Tyson’s close monitoring of efficiency and profitability of, 20, 24, 33, 34, 115, 126, 130, 131
Tyson’s culture of placing blame on, 103–4, 126, 130
Tyson’s informational isolation of, 116, 117, 256
Tyson’s tight control over, 5, 21, 23–25, 30, 38, 62, 83–84, 85, 103, 114–15, 117, 120, 131, 134, 138–39, 156, 157, 159, 173, 184, 192–93, 209, 224, 232, 237, 284, 310, 312
see also specific types of industrial farming
corn, 54, 116, 165, 166, 172, 173, 186, 187, 229, 243
subsidies for, 264–65
“Cornish game hens,” 86–87
Costco, 288
cotton, 54, 55, 57, 58
cowboys, 5, 170, 207–8, 210, 211, 215, 221
CR4, 233
Crouch, Courtney, 83
Daschle, Tom, 250, 251, 252
DeJong, Justin, 349n
Democratic Party, 165, 245, 250, 252, 258, 261, 263, 282, 289, 290, 301
as patrons of industrial meat and agriculture, 262, 268, 310
Depression, Great, 4, 12, 46, 47–49, 50–51, 57, 58, 75, 89, 196, 268, 277, 282, 297, 310, 311
Des Moines, Iowa, 233–34, 238, 241, 279
Dodge City, Kans., 210, 211–12, 214, 217, 220n, 303
“dollar auctions,” 57
Dopp, Mark, 285–86, 288–89
Dow Jones Industrial Average, 276
Dust Bowl, 50
Earp, Wyatt, 211, 212
Edwards, Perry (pseudonym), 32–33, 34–38
Edwin (farmer), 9, 44, 113, 114, 123, 127
elections, U.S.:
of 1992, 310
of 2000, 245
of 2008, 12, 257–58, 261–64, 268, 281, 294
of 2012, 297, 303
Elmore, Doug, 43–44, 116, 136
Emmetsburg, Iowa, 186, 187, 189, 303
Erwin, Harry, 64, 71–72
Espy, Mike, 268–69
ethanol subsidies, 264–65
family farms, 47, 50, 64, 69, 152, 184–86, 187, 195–96, 231, 262, 303
“cash-basis” accounting of, 72–73, 74–75
disappearance of, 5, 49, 50, 70, 184, 191, 194, 196–97, 202, 205, 231, 232, 236, 238, 246, 281, 298
government subsidies for, 67
see also hog farming, independent
Farm and Home Plan, 142
Farm Credit Administration, 67–68
Farmers Home Administration (FMHA), 140
farmers’ markets, 288, 298
farming and agriculture, 4, 10, 116, 184, 186–87, 223–24, 297–98
activist groups in, 257, 262, 279, 283, 294, 317–18
cash crops in, 54, 55, 57, 58, 64, 165, 166, 186, 229, 264–65, 308
federal loan programs and subsidies in, 67–68, 139–45, 164–66, 173, 234–35, 264–65, 268
feudal system in, 49, 139, 231
Great Depression’s impact on, 47, 49, 50, 57, 58
Green Revolution in, 52
Iowa’s economic dependency on, 234, 235
Jefferson’s advocacy of, 49, 50
as keystone of democratic society, 49, 50, 231
“localvore” movement in, 288, 318
migrant, 25, 50–51
1980s crisis and recession in, 235
Obama’s campaign in rallying support from workers in, 261–64
opposition to GIPSA rule in, 291–93, 296, 297
in Ozark hill country, 48, 55, 58
of poultry, see chicken farming, industrial
pre-industrial government intervention in, 4, 57–58, 67–68, 164–65, 234–35, 248–49
as social economic building block, 49–50, 67, 69, 165, 231, 235
tenant, 55–56
Vilsack’s optimistic depiction of, 3, 297–98
Farm Service Agency (FSA), 139–45
farrowing crates, 154–55, 237
fast-food industry, 91, 92, 98, 101, 108, 109, 152, 159, 169, 225, 242, 267, 275, 288, 306, 311
specialty items in, 30–31, 95, 107
Tyson’s role in introducing chicken into, 91–92, 93–95, 107
Fayetteville, Ark., 65, 82, 307, 314
Federal Trade Commission (FTC), 254, 277
feed, animal, 6, 24, 36, 70, 103, 115, 120, 134, 172, 318
high costs of, 53, 166, 187, 264–65, 273
hogs fed with, 149, 151
feeder barns, 155, 183, 190, 192, 237
see also hog barns
feedlots, cattle, 7, 116, 145–46, 152, 207–8, 209, 214, 246, 314
BMG cooperative of, 222, 223
cattle buyers and, 214–16, 217–21
as contract producers, 152–53, 172, 173, 209, 211, 212n, 218, 219, 220, 221–23, 224, 225, 226, 227, 247, 269, 284
corporate control over, 5, 7, 173, 209, 212, 213, 218, 224, 227, 266, 284
depression of prices paid to, 209, 213, 222, 248, 269, 294
disappearance of small, 5, 209, 212, 223
grid system of payment for, 222, 225, 226
growth hormones used in, 7, 209, 224–26, 227
independent, 188, 209–11, 213, 216–21, 222–23, 224, 225–26, 284
in pre-industrialized era, 213
see also beef industry; cattle ranching
feed mills, 2, 5, 8, 21, 24, 30, 33, 53, 81, 83, 103, 134, 273, 316
John Tyson’s business in, 53–54, 55, 56
recipes in, 33, 53, 105
standardizing of formulas at, 105
of Tyson Feed and Hatchery, 58, 59, 61, 72
feed stores, 189–90, 201
FEMA, 41, 42
Ferrell, John, 282–83, 287, 289, 295, 296, 303
fertilizers, nitrogen, 69
feudal system, 49, 139, 231
field technicians, 9, 17, 24, 28–32, 34, 71, 102–3, 118, 137–38, 151, 238, 240
alleged favoritism from, 120
“blame the farmer” strategy of, 19, 44, 103–4, 126
diseased bird epidemics and, 18–20, 28–29, 32, 39–40, 44
Don Tyson as, 59, 69
in Tyson hog division, 192–93
First National Bank, 317
Food and Family Farm Presidential Summit, 262, 263, 294
Food and Water Watch, 318
“food dictatorship” issue, 234–35
Forest Service, U.S., 102
formula contracts, 173, 240
Fort Smith, Ark., 11, 40, 44, 48, 132, 136, 141
forward contracts, 203
Foster Farms, 274
4H clubs, 203
Freedom to Farm Act (1996), 165–66
free-trade agreements, 298
fruit orchards, 25, 41, 48, 50, 51
–52, 55
futures contracts, 199, 201
futures exchanges, 116, 213
“game hens,” 86–87
Garden City, Kans., 172, 173, 212
Garrett, Charles, 81
Garrett Poultry, 76, 79, 81–82, 86, 110
General Accounting Office, 283
General Electric Co., 268
genetic manipulation, 109–10, 235
George’s Poultry, 97
GIPSA rule, 284–87, 288–94, 295–98, 299–303, 318
agriculture subcommittee hearing on, 289–91
“competitive injury” provision in, 284, 300–301
congressional opposition to, 290, 291, 296, 297, 300–302
defeating of, 301–2, 303
divisiveness in USDA on, 295–97
farmers’ in opposition to, 291–93, 296, 297
lobbyists’ response to, 285–87, 288–89, 291–92, 295, 302
revision and finalization of, 297, 298–301, 302
Tyson’s public response to, 293–94
Glickman, Dan, 245
Gore, Al, 245
government regulation, government regulators, 153, 165, 175–76, 235–36, 253, 254–55, 257–58, 276, 277–78, 287
Agricultural Adjustment Act in, 57–58
antitrust laws in, 12, 99, 145, 220, 248–49, 251, 254, 271, 277, 283, 284, 299, 301, 302
Baker’s opposition to, 247–48
in campaigns against vertical integration, 229, 233, 236, 241–44, 245, 253, 269, 280, 285, 287
failed attempts at legislative reforms in, 250–52, 263, 287–89, 291–94, 299–300, 301, 302, 318
Farm Credit Administration and, 67–68
farming subsidies and, 67–68, 139–45, 164–66, 173, 234–35, 264–65, 268
Freedom to Farm Act and, 165–66
ineffectiveness of, 4, 85, 229, 230, 254–55, 268, 269, 275–76, 278, 280, 283–84
interest groups calling for tougher reforms in, 257, 317–18
Iowa’s “packer ban” in, 240–41, 242, 243, 253, 255
lobbyist-led opposition to, 251–52, 254, 263, 285–87, 288–89, 291–92, 295
Miller’s lawsuit against Smithfield Foods and, 236, 241–44, 245, 253–54, 255, 280
Miller-Smithfield settlement and, 255–57, 270, 280, 299
Obama administration’s attempts in reforming of, 4, 12, 281, 282, 283–287, 288, 289, 290, 295, 298, 299, 301, 303, 318; see also GIPSA rule
Obama’s campaign promises of, 263–64, 281, 285
Packers and Stockyard Act in, 84–85, 248, 283–84, 285, 291, 301
Packers and Stockyard Administration in, 248–49, 254, 275–76, 282–83
Producer Protection Act in, 244, 245, 250, 252
production controls in, 165, 166, 234–35
safety provisions in, 252
slaughterhouse inspections and, 61, 87
state-to-state disparities in, 257
Tabor-Moline’s investigation into contract farming and, 236–40
Tabor’s speech for increasing of, 244–46, 247
2008 farm bill and, 283, 284, 285
2012 farm bill and, 289, 290–91
Tyson as benefiting from, 58, 145, 166
Tyson’s evasion of, 66, 85
USDA/DOJ workshops in promoting of, 12, 279–82, 287, 288, 289, 294–95, 298, 302–3
see also Agriculture Department, U.S.
Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA), 245, 246, 248, 254–55, 269, 282, 287, 296, 298, 300
new rule of, see GIPSA rule
grain trade, U.S., 235, 313
Grassley, Chuck, 279
Great Depression, 4, 12, 46, 47–49, 50–51, 57, 58, 75, 89, 196, 246, 268, 277, 282, 297, 310, 311
Great Recession (2008), 7, 11, 264–65, 266, 267–68, 276–77, 311–13
Green Forest, Ark., 106–8, 120
Green Revolution, 52
grocery stores, 54, 60, 62, 65–66, 73, 76, 110, 158, 159, 169, 170, 195, 196, 212, 213, 265, 288, 311
rising prices in, 5, 79, 204, 269, 294, 318
growth hormones, 7, 209, 224–26, 227
Harden, Krysta, 296, 349n
Harkin, Tom, 252, 263, 283
hatcheries, 5, 21, 56, 58, 59, 61, 62, 72, 78, 79–80, 81, 87, 108, 153, 270, 273
diseased birds in, 19, 36–37, 44, 103, 134
labor disputes in, 83
health care reform, 290
hedging contracts, 199, 201
Heffernan, Bill, 230–33, 257
Henson, Geraldine, 37
Her, Lue, 142
Hinton, Va., 272–73
Hispanic workers, 46, 120, 212
Hogan & Hartson, 277
hog barns, 151, 154–55, 192–93, 195, 196, 197, 198, 204–5, 237
equipment in, 155, 183, 200
high-costs of, 183, 188, 195, 196, 200, 239
as modeled on chicken houses, 150, 154, 155, 183, 192
hog farming, independent, 145–46, 152, 158, 181, 194–95, 196, 199, 201–2, 203, 236–37, 238
Chuck Wirtz’s business in, 184–87, 189–90, 194, 195, 199, 201, 203
decline of, 5, 191, 194, 196–97, 202, 205, 236, 238, 246
depression of prices paid to, 191, 203–4
futures contracts in, 199, 201
in pre-industrialization era, 57, 145–46, 150, 151, 152, 184–87, 195–96, 200–201, 202–3
profits of, 185, 186, 187, 190, 194–95, 196, 202
raising of pigs in, 185
sales stations in, 200–201, 202, 238
Tyson’s contract proposals for, 187–89
see also pork industry
hog farming, industrial, 156, 168, 181, 183, 238–40, 285, 293, 295
bankruptcies in, 200, 239
contract farmers in, 152, 156, 157–58, 159, 162, 168, 184, 188, 190, 191, 192–94, 196, 198, 200, 201, 202, 203, 204–5, 209, 227, 232, 236, 237–40, 241, 244, 246, 253, 287, 311, 316
debts and financial struggles in, 184, 192, 193–94, 196, 199–200, 239
depression of wages in, 5, 168, 192, 204, 294
farrowing crates in, 154–55
feeder barns in, 155, 183, 190, 192, 237; see also hog barns
Freedom to Farm Act and, 166
immigrant workers in, 197
“ledger” contracts in, 239
as modeled on poultry farming system, 5, 149, 150, 151, 152–53, 154–55, 168, 183, 192
pig waste issues in, 151, 154
raising of pigs in, 150, 151, 152, 153–55, 157, 192
rise of, 5, 149, 152–53, 156–58, 167–68, 169, 173–74, 183–84, 189, 191, 195, 196, 197, 198, 204, 246, 287
Smithfield settlement and, 256, 280, 299
sow farms in, 156–57, 192
threat of disease in, 151, 157, 192, 239
tournament system of pay in, 192, 239, 257, 293
Tyson’s ambitions for expanding into, 152–53, 155
Tyson’s tight control over, 156, 157, 159, 184, 192–93, 204, 266
see also pork industry; Tyson Foods, hog division of
Holdenville, Okla., 155–56, 187, 188, 189, 192, 197, 200
Tyson complex in, 156–57, 168, 193, 227
Holder, Eric, 12, 279, 280, 294, 298
Hoover, Herbert, 92, 234
horizontal integration, 231
Hormel, 203, 241, 257
House of Representatives, U.S., 268, 290, 301
Judiciary Committee of, 252
Subcommittee on Agriculture in, 289, 290–91
Hyplains, 214
immigrants, 46, 197, 212, 317
see also Laotian immigrants
India, 305, 306
Individual Freedom and the Economic Organization of Agriculture (Breimyer), 230–31
Internal Revenue Service (IRS), 71, 72, 73
ionophores (antibiotic drugs), 7
Iowa, 57, 170, 183, 184, 185, 189, 195, 200, 227, 229, 232, 233, 243, 247, 266, 280, 293, 303, 314, 316
decline of smal
l towns in, 198
as epicenter of pork production, 186–87, 250
farming’s central economic role in, 234, 235
food politics in, 234, 235
hog sales stations in, 200–201
Obama’s presidential campaigning in, 12, 258, 261–64, 294
“packer ban” in, 240–41, 242, 243, 253, 255
Producer Protection Act in, 244, 245, 250, 252, 255, 263, 283
Smithfield settlement reforms in, 255–57, 270, 280, 299
Iowa Beef Processors (IBP), 169–72, 173–74, 177, 180, 195, 212n, 222, 240, 251, 264
“boxed beef” innovation of, 170–71, 172
“formula contract” employed at, 173
labor disputes with, 170
mergers and acquisitions of, 171, 173–74, 248
Tyson’s acquisition of, 174–76, 177
Iowa Farmers Union, 262
Jackson, Haskell, 63–65, 68, 71–72, 76, 77, 78–79, 80, 86, 87, 88, 95, 96–97
tax loopholes exploited by, 72–73
in weekly managers’ meetings, 74, 75–76, 77, 92–93
JBS Swift, 203, 208, 209, 217, 219, 225, 286, 303
see also Swift & Company
Jefferson, Thomas, 49, 50, 67, 145, 231
Jeffords, James, 252
Johnson, Cynthia, 37
Johnston, Gerald, 95–96, 97–98, 102, 161
Jones, Harvey, 88
Justice Department, U.S., 254, 255, 275, 276, 277, 280, 302
USDA’s joint public workshops with, 12, 279–82, 287, 288, 289, 294–95, 298, 302–3
Kansas, 207, 208, 223, 226, 266, 316
Kansas Practical Average Price, 221
Kansas State University, 47, 221, 314
Kentucky Fried Chicken, 31
King, Donnie, 270
Klein, Tim, 215, 216, 220
Kraft Foods, 176, 178, 179
Lane, Clift, 99, 100–101
Lane Poultry, 102
Laos, 123, 124, 136, 138
Laotian immigrants, 45–46, 113, 114–15, 118–20, 123–25, 127–28, 131, 132, 135, 136, 137, 138–39
federal loans extended to, 139, 141, 142–43
racial stereotypes of, 120
social isolation of, 119–20
see also N&N Farm
Latin America, 119–20, 212
Lee, Don, 143
Lee, Tou, 142
Legend of IBP, The (Rodengen), 170n
Lick Skillet farm, 125, 126, 127
Lilygren, Sara, 251
Lobb, Richard, 292
lobbyists, 12, 153, 210, 223, 249–52, 263, 275–76, 279, 280, 283, 291, 318
anti-regulation campaigns of, 251–52, 254, 263, 291–92, 295
on behalf of small farmers, 317–18
GIPSA rule and response of, 285–87, 288–89, 291–92, 295, 302
at Tyson Foods, 251n, 279, 286, 292, 295