[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 37 (Tuesday, March 3, 2009)]
[House]
[Page H2891]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     GOVERNMENT MEDDLING IN MARKETS

  (Mr. FLEMING asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. FLEMING. Mr. Speaker, last week, the Pilgrim's Pride Poultry 
Company announced the closing of three chicken processing operations 
throughout the southeastern United States.
  In and around my district in North Louisiana, 1,300 jobs were lost. 
It is important for the American public to know why and how these jobs 
were lost. In addition to the decline in consumer protein demand, 
Pilgrim's Pride was most affected by high feed prices causing a loss in 
the last year of over $1 billion, forcing them into bankruptcy.
  The main cause of these high prices was Federal mandates to increase 
the use of ethanol. This large spike in corn prices is being felt 
throughout the country by consumers and producers alike. Is this a 
foreshadowing of more disasters to come because of the governmental 
manipulation of the energy markets?
  Just like the mortgage debacle, governmental meddling in markets 
continues hurting the working family, both directly and indirectly.

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