1. Livestock Production and Conservation Policy Mark Rasmussen Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture Presented at the “Sustaining our Iowa Land (SOIL)” Conference Drake University, Des Moines, IA November 19, 2015

2. Limitations of the Nutrient Reduction Strategy Prairierivers.org

3. Iowa’s Emphasis

4. The Consequences

5. 90% Loss of Iowa Pasture Land (Acres) J. Sellers, ISUEO

6. Iowa Beef Cow Population J. Sellers, ISUEO

9. Daily Livestock Report

10. Many factors impacting Cattle Industry Tax laws Industry consolidation Feedlot overcapacity Branded products Age of cattle producers Biofuels policy CRP acres Environmental critics Nutritional debate Demographics Food safety Labor supply NIFA research funding

11. Conflicted Policy and Politics Cattle, Soil and Forages: Ignored

12. Legal Opinions Which Disadvantage Agriculture

13. Limited Changes to Packers & Stockyards Act State AGs: Producer Protection Act, 2000 GIPSA, 2012: Minor rule changes Court’s view of PSA is still an antitrust focus and proof of harm is a significant hurdle Congressional action needed but not forthcoming?

14. Court Decisions impacting the Cattle Industry 1975 Meat Price Investigator Association (dismissed). CR4 = 25 1985 Monfort of Colorado (ruled in favor of Cargill merger) 1990s Picket vs IBP (jury in favor but set aside by trial judge). CR4 = 80 Result: Consolidation and mergers have gone mostly unchallenged. Now the CR4 > 80% with recent mergers

15. 2010 USDA/DOJ Competition Hearings http://www.justice.gov/atr/events/public- workshops-agriculture-and-antitrust- enforcement-issues-our-21st-century- economy-10 http://www.justice.gov/atr/events/public- workshops-agriculture-and-antitrust- enforcement-issues-our-21st-century- economy-10 Minor Report Issued: May, 2012

16. Making Cattle Enterprises Consistently Profitable J. Sellers, ISUEO

17. Nutrient and Erosion Progress without Cattle?

18. Some Final Thoughts Sustaining our soil and water resources is highly dependent upon perennial crops and cattle. Cattle are a proven cellulosic technology. Changes in the legal and economic professions and their theories of competition are needed to begin the process.