Podcast
Questions and Answers
Who is Hank?
Who is Hank?
- Famous cowboy
- Fast food owner
- Meatpacking executive
- Local rancher from Colorado Springs (correct)
What often occurred near Hank's farm?
What often occurred near Hank's farm?
Stock car racing
What have long been the central icons of the American West?
What have long been the central icons of the American West?
Ranchers and cowboys
How many ranchers sold off their cattle and quit the business?
How many ranchers sold off their cattle and quit the business?
How many ranchers remain and how are they doing?
How many ranchers remain and how are they doing?
Which cattlemen face the most issues?
Which cattlemen face the most issues?
What has the growth of fast food chains encouraged?
What has the growth of fast food chains encouraged?
Who is the nation's largest purchaser of beef?
Who is the nation's largest purchaser of beef?
How many beef suppliers does McDonald's have?
How many beef suppliers does McDonald's have?
What is a trust?
What is a trust?
What did the beef trust do?
What did the beef trust do?
What are the five largest meatpacking companies in 1917 and what percent of the market did they control?
What are the five largest meatpacking companies in 1917 and what percent of the market did they control?
What is the Sherman Antitrust Act?
What is the Sherman Antitrust Act?
Who ordered the FTC to investigate the industry?
Who ordered the FTC to investigate the industry?
What is the Packers and Stockyards Administration?
What is the Packers and Stockyards Administration?
What are today's top four meatpacking firms and how much percent of the nation's cattle do they slaughter?
What are today's top four meatpacking firms and how much percent of the nation's cattle do they slaughter?
What percent of the live cattle in the US through captive supplies do the four major meatpacking companies now control?
What percent of the live cattle in the US through captive supplies do the four major meatpacking companies now control?
What percent of cattle exchanged are captive supplies?
What percent of cattle exchanged are captive supplies?
How many chicken processors now control what percent of the American market?
How many chicken processors now control what percent of the American market?
Who is Fred Turner?
Who is Fred Turner?
What are McNuggets?
What are McNuggets?
How much of the nation's McNuggets does Tyson manufacture and to how many of the largest restaurant chains do they sell chicken?
How much of the nation's McNuggets does Tyson manufacture and to how many of the largest restaurant chains do they sell chicken?
What is responsible for the low prices that American ranchers are paid for their cattle?
What is responsible for the low prices that American ranchers are paid for their cattle?
Who is Mr. McDonald?
Who is Mr. McDonald?
McNuggets contain how much more fat per ounce as a hamburger?
McNuggets contain how much more fat per ounce as a hamburger?
Does Tyson raise the chickens?
Does Tyson raise the chickens?
What must chicken growers provide?
What must chicken growers provide?
Every day a chicken house sits empty, the grower loses what?
Every day a chicken house sits empty, the grower loses what?
The typical American eats about how many pounds of beef every year?
The typical American eats about how many pounds of beef every year?
What has been banned in the European Union?
What has been banned in the European Union?
What are means of achieving greater efficiency?
What are means of achieving greater efficiency?
A pound of chicken costs how much as much as a pound of beef?
A pound of chicken costs how much as much as a pound of beef?
What is Archer Daniels Midland?
What is Archer Daniels Midland?
Who is Michael Andreas?
Who is Michael Andreas?
What is Archer Daniels Midland known for?
What is Archer Daniels Midland known for?
Who is Mike Callicrate?
Who is Mike Callicrate?
How many acres of ranchland has Colorado lost over the past 20 years?
How many acres of ranchland has Colorado lost over the past 20 years?
What is the Colorado Cattlemen's Association?
What is the Colorado Cattlemen's Association?
How many acres of land has the Colorado Cattlemen's Association protected?
How many acres of land has the Colorado Cattlemen's Association protected?
Ranchland in Colorado is now vanishing at the rate of about how many acres a year?
Ranchland in Colorado is now vanishing at the rate of about how many acres a year?
Who are the ranchers most likely to be in financial trouble?
Who are the ranchers most likely to be in financial trouble?
At what age did Hank commit suicide?
At what age did Hank commit suicide?
The suicide rate among ranchers and farmers in the US is now about how many times higher than the national average?
The suicide rate among ranchers and farmers in the US is now about how many times higher than the national average?
Who is Osha Gray Davidson?
Who is Osha Gray Davidson?
When Hank was 8, what was he?
When Hank was 8, what was he?
Study Notes
Key Figures and Entities
- Hank: A local rancher from Colorado Springs known for facing challenges in the cattle industry.
- McDonald's: The largest purchaser of beef in the nation, with five suppliers providing their beef.
- Tyson: Manufactures half of the nation's Chicken McNuggets.
Cattle Industry Dynamics
- Rapid consolidation in the meatpacking industry is driven by the growth of fast food chains, impacting independent cattlemen the hardest.
- Approximately half a million ranchers have sold off their cattle and exited the business, leaving 800,000 remaining ranchers in a tough position.
- The top four meatpacking firms (ConAgra, IBP, Excel, National Beef) now account for 84% of the nation's cattle slaughter.
Economic Challenges
- An oversupply of beef significantly contributes to the low prices that American ranchers receive for their cattle.
- Captive supplies, representing 20% of live cattle, are cattle held in company-owned feedlots or purchased in advance, with 80% of cattle exchanged categorized as captive supplies.
Regulatory Background
- The Sherman Antitrust Act, passed in 1890, aimed to tackle the beef trust but yielded minimal results.
- The Packers and Stockyards Administration was created to prevent price-fixing and monopolistic practices within the beef industry.
Ranchland and Environmental Concerns
- Colorado has lost about 1.5 million acres of ranchland in two decades, vanishing at a rate of approximately 90,000 acres yearly.
- The Colorado Cattlemen's Association, formed the first land trust dedicated to ranchland preservation, protecting 40,000 acres.
Social Issues
- The suicide rate among ranchers and farmers in the U.S. exceeds the national average by three times, highlighting the mental and financial stress many experience.
- Hank tragically committed suicide at the age of 43 despite having been portrayed positively in a children's book during his youth.
Chicken Industry Insights
- Chicken McNuggets are made from reconstituted chicken, primarily consisting of white meat, and contain double the fat per ounce compared to hamburgers.
- Eight chicken processors now control two-thirds of the American chicken market.
Historical Context
- The beef industry's market dynamics were heavily influenced in 1917 by five major meatpacking companies, controlling 55% of the market.
- In Europe, the use of bovine growth hormone has been banned due to health concerns.
Influential Individuals
- Fred Turner, chairman of McDonald's, is credited with developing the Chicken McNugget.
- Mike Callicrate, a Kansas cattleman, has vocalized opposition to corporate practices in the industry.
Studying That Suits You
Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.
Description
Explore key terms and definitions from Chapter 6 of 'Fast Food Nation'. This quiz covers important characters, locations, and themes relevant to ranching and American culture, enhancing your understanding of the text.