It includes some of the nation's biggest, such as his own family's Hitch Enterprises based in Guymon, Oklahoma. A lot in common Still, both groups have a lot in common. Both see a system that doesn't reward quality, whether it's apples grown with Integrated Pest Management or tender lean beef. There aren't that many buyers, and all of the cattle sell at the same price. Quality cattle don't bring better spot prices.
People are just tired of it.
The co-op planned to hire a manager who would negotiate not only higher prices but also better premiums for quality. Hitch views matching the right cattle to the right packer as a service that packers may grudgingly come to appreciate. I think we can get a little better price with numbers. It has lined up two family-owned grocery chains to test market for one year the Alliance's seal of approval. We don't get involved with the price negotiations.