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Public Workshops

Agriculture and Antitrust Enforcement Issues in Our 21st Century Economy

May 21, 2010 - Normal, Alabama

Poultry Workshop
Specific areas of focus may include production contracts in the poultry industry, concentration and buyer power.

Alabama A&M University
Knight Reception Center
4900 Meridian Street
Normal, Alabama 35726

Updated: July 13, 2010

Agenda

Transcript (PDF, Text)
Video (Requires Flash)

9:00 a.m.	Welcome/Introductory Comments (16:17-minute video) The Honorable Tom Vilsack, Secretary of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture The Honorable Eric Holder, Attorney General, U.S. Department of Justice

9:15 a.m.	Roundtable Discussion and Presentation of Issues (37:01-minute video) The Honorable Tom Vilsack, Secretary of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture The Honorable Eric Holder, Attorney General, U.S. Department of Justice The Honorable Christine Varney, Assistant Attorney General for Antitrust, U.S. Department of Justice The Honorable Artur Davis, Congressman, U.S. House of Representatives The Honorable Troy King, Attorney General, State of Alabama The Honorable Ron Sparks, Commissioner of Agriculture, State of Alabama *The Alabama Congressional Delegation is invited.

10:00 a.m.	Coffee Break

10:30 a.m.	Roundtable Discussion on Poultry Grower Issues (79:47-minute video) This panel will allow a dialogue among growers, former producers and government officials. Expected topics include competition in the poultry industry, poultry contracting, contract terminations and upgrades to poultry houses. The panel will also discuss inputs that affect grower compensation, such as bird quality, feed quality and consistency. Moderator: The Honorable Tom Vilsack, Secretary of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture Gary Alexander, Producer, Westminster, South Carolina Kay Doby, Former Producer, Cameron, North Carolina Garry Staples, Producer, Steele, Alabama Robert Lumzy, Former Producer, Columbia, Mississippi Carole Morison, Former Producer, Maryland Shane Wootten, Producer, Henagar, Alabama Sandra Genell Pridgen, Producer, North Carolina

12:00 p.m.	Lunch Break

1:00 p.m.	Public Testimony (73:52-minute video)

2:00 p.m.	Roundtable Discussion on Trends in Poultry Production (93:07-minute video) This panel will discuss changes in the structure of poultry production and enforcement under the Packers and Stockyards Act. Issues that will be discussed include the use of the tournament system and other methods of compensation, market access, contracting, credit availability, production efficiency/improvements and poultry house upgrades. Moderator: Norman Familant, Chief, Economic Litigation Section, U.S. Department of Justice Benny Bishop, Peco Foods, Tuscaloosa, AL Michael R. Dicks, Watkins Chair, International Trade and Development, Oklahoma State University Max Carnes, Producer, Baldwin, Georgia John Ingrum, Forest, Mississippi Cindy Johnson, Attorney, Cohutta, Georgia Robert Taylor, Professor, Agricultural Economics and Public Policy, College of Agriculture, Auburn University Mike Weaver, Producer and President of Contract Poultry Growers Association of the Virginias, Fort Seybert, West Virginia

3:45 p.m.	Break

4:00 p.m.	Additional Public Testimony (37:43-minute video)

5:00 p.m.	Closing Remarks (4:00-minute video) John Ferrell, Deputy Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs, U.S. Department of Agriculture William Stallings, Assistant Section Chief, Transportation, Energy and Agriculture Section, U.S. Department of Justice