![]() Olson used the beer industry with corporations such as Anheuser-Busch competing with microbreweries as an example of how smaller producers could successfully meet consumer demand. Olson recommended farmers and ranchers band together and organize to compete against large corporations. Many of these companies are multi-national conglomerates, some of them from nations like China, Olson noted. She also showed graphs of the market share owned by top four companies for farm supplies, food and other consumer goods. Olson said larger retailers know small town residents have to travel to their stores and are more likely to stock up on other items they could buy locally. It gets harder and more expensive to get all the supplies that we need, whether it’s for the farm or ranch or just our general household needs.” “As you think about those grocery stores that we’ve lost in five years, that’s a lot to lose,” Olson said. Olson told the group North Dakota had lost 30 grocery stores in five years. Olson also asked attendees to name businesses that had closed in their rural communities. In comparison, consumer prices for food showed a steady increase. Four speakers gave presentations to the group of about 30 farmers from throughout the Pierce County area.Īmanda Olson, member relations specialist for the North Dakota Farmers Union, gave a speech titled, “Fairness for Farmers and Ranchers.” Olson, who farms with her husband in the Drake-Anamoose area, showed graphs tracking steadily decreasing prices for beef, crops and other farm products.
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