Chapter 6, "On the Range"

o What are some of the problems facing cattle ranchers?
Cattle ranchers face economic problems. They have to deal with land prices, beef prices, oversupplies of cattle, shipments, development pressures, inheritance taxes, health scares for beef, and fast food chains.
o What are "captive supplies" of cattle?
Captive supplies are cattle that are either maintained in company-owned feed lots, or purchased in advance through foreword contacts. When prices rise, large meatpackers can flood the market with their own captive supplies. About 80% of cattle being exchanged are captive supplies. The prices for these are never disclosed.
o What was the impact of the Chicken McNugget on the poultry industry?
The Chicken McNugget turned a bird that once had to be carved at a table into something that can be eaten behind the wheel. It turned a bulk agricultural industry into a manufactured, value-added product. It turned many farmers into little more than serfs. Poultry consumption grew. It changed the way poultry was sold- now in pieces instead of being whole. American consumption of chicken surpassed beef in 1992. McDonalds turned Tyson into the worlds largest chicken processor.