Washington - Democratic senators from northern farm states urged Attorney General Janet Reno to launch a formal probe into growing concentration of U.S. livestock, grain marketing, flour milling and soybean crushing industries.
The request came amid recent calls by Democrats for a closer look at the pork slaughter industry and Cargill Inc's plan to buy the grain asssets of Continental Grain.
Four companies control about 87 percent of the nation's beef slaughter plant capacity and 60 percent of pork slaughter facilities, said Senator Byron Dorgan, a North Dakota Democrat.
“I believe conditions have reached the point where family farmers, many of whom are already struggling to survive prices that have collapsed for a variety of reasons, are also being denied the opportunity to receive a fair price for their products through a fair, free and open market,” Dorgan said in a letter to Reno.
Democratic senators Kent Conrad of North Dakota, Tim Johnson of South Dakota, and Paul Wellstone of Minnesota also signed the letter.
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