Beef packer plant-level P&L data showed significant economies of scale in beef packing, and costs were decreasing across the entire data range analyzed. When both are operated close to capacity, smaller plants are at an absolute cost disadvantage compared with larger plants. When larger plants...

This report presents the results of analyses of the effects of alternative marketing arrangements (AMAs) on the distribution and sales of meat products downstream from the packer. It focuses on determining the extent of use of AMAs, describing the linkages between the stages of meat production,...

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Low and inconsistent beef quality has been blamed by some for the losses of beefï¾’s share of total meat consumption. Tighter vertical coordination through use of alternative marketing arrangements and more precise price signaling through use of different cattle valuation methods may help...