Today I plan to introduce legislation which could set a ceiling on
vertical integration in the pork industry. Specifically, I plan to
offer a bill to make it unlawful for any packer with an annual slaughter
capacity of more than 20 million swine to slaughter more than 10 million
packer-owned swine in any calendar year.

I am offering this because I believe the pork industry is at a critical
juncture due to the impending sale of Farmland's pork division.

Either we stop the trend toward vertical integration, or we prepare for
the inevitable "chicken-ization" of the pork industry.

I feel it's vital to sustain a place in the market for the independent
pork producer. This legislation will at least limit the cancerous
growth of vertical integration until we can pass a cure.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Make your voice heard! Find out how to get Take Action Alerts
and other important Sierra Club messages by email at:
http://www.sierraclub.org/email