Texan, "Sandhusker, if you'll check into it a little further, you'll find that the company usually owns the breeding flocks and hatcheries. I'm sure Econ can speak to that more knowledgeably than I can, but around here, I think they even still use some company-owned houses."

You're right.  I stand corrected.

It remains that the integrators are masters of controlling assets that they don't own.  If beef goes the way of chicken, you'll have a community of ranchers under Tyson, a group for Smithfield, another group for Con-agra.   You'll be told how to raise your cattle, what genetics you'll use - even the cows that will be in your herd, etc....   If you don't like what is being handed down, you won't have any options.  You can't go to the cash market because it won't exist anymore.  You can't go to another company because they're going to have a gentlemen's agreement not to take each other's discontents.   I have absolutely no doubt that V.I. is to be avoided at all costs.  It will be the death knell of an entire industry and entire communities.