Texan, the poultry industry, and to a great degree the pork industry, became totaly vertical before we had all of these free trade agreements, and I agree with you, the packers don't want the investment of what it would take, for that same model in the cattle industry.
Look what has happened to the steel, textile, footwear and other industries, and now, it is happening to agriculture. Cattle numbers world-wide, one billion 35 million head, beef cow numbers worldwide 224 million with China having 29% of those, Brazil 23%, Argintina 21% and the USA at 15% of that total. You speak of Cactus Feeders and Tyson and how you don't see anything wrong, with someone wanting to sell, or come into an agreement with them for marketing their cattle, ask yourself this question, how much longer are they going to be in this country, with the cost of labor, regulations and environmental issues that they are faced with daily.
Cactus Feeders built a feedlot in Argintina in 1999, Tyson has announced this year, that they have entered into a joint-venture with them, in Argintina. Tyson, already has poultry operations in China now, beef will be next with the 29% beef cow numbers they have, beef meat packing eguipment has already been sold for export to China.
Texan, you say that you don't want to be in the feedlot, meat packing, or sales business, well there are alot of smaller feedlots and meat packers other than Cactus Feeders and Tyson that do, so you won't have to be, and what about the American consumers, they are on the side of sustainable agriculture, then there is the next generation of farmers and ranchers, that just maybe want to remain in this industry, what about them!
Best Regards
Ben Roberts