Livestock and Meat Marketing Study

In fiscal year 2003, GIPSA received $4.5 million in appropriations for a broad study of marketing practices in the entire livestock and red meat industries from farmers to retailers, food service firms, and exporters. In June 2004, at the culmination of a competitive bidding process, GIPSA awarded a $4.3 million contract to the RTI International (RTI) to conduct the study. RTI delivered an interim report in July 2005 describing alternative marketing arrangements and their terms, and reasons that industry participants give for using alternative arrangements. In February 2007, GIPSA released the final report with the results of the analysis of extent of use, price relationships, and costs and benefits of alternative marketing arrangements.

GIPSA Livestock and Meat Marketing Study Final Reports (February 2007)

• Volume 1: Executive Summary and Overview (PDF; 217KB)
• Volume 2: Data Collection Methods and Results (PDF; 1347KB)
• Volume 2: Appendices (A, B, C - Survey Questionnaires) (PDF; 1927KB) and (D, E, F - Transactions Data Collection) (PDF; 571KB)
• Volume 3: Fed Cattle and Beef Industries (PDF; 1465KB)
• Volume 4: Hog and Pork Industries (PDF; 1765KB)
• Volume 5: Lamb and Lamb Meat Industries (PDF; 1261KB)
• Volume 6: Meat Distribution and Sales (PDF; 327KB)
• Glossary of Terms (PDF; 50KB)

Interim Report

• Spot and Alternative Marketing Arrangements in the Livestock and Meat Industries: Interim Report (August 2005) (PDF; 3492KB)

Additional Information

• Frequently Asked Questions (PDF; 28KB)
• Review: Peer Reviewers (PDF; 37KB); Data Collection Plans (PDF; 280KB); Interim Report (PDF; 111KB); Final Report and Comments (PDF; 280KB)
• Overview, including review of Transactions Data Collection (February 2006) and Survey of Alternative Marketing Arrangements in the Livestock and Meat Industries-December 2005
• Information Collection Notice Comment Extension (PDF; 26KB)
• Notice of Request for New Information Collection (PDF; 54KB)
• Request for Proposals - As amended through February 4, 2004 (PDF; 988KB)
• Request for Proposals - Amendment 4 (February 4, 2004) (PDF; 158KB)
• Request for Proposals - Amendment 3 (January 16, 2004) (PDF; 872KB)
• Request for Proposals - Amendment 2 (December 22, 2003) (PDF; 552KB)
• Request for Proposals - Amendment 1 (December 10, 2003) (PDF; 222KB)
• Pre-Solicitation Conference Program Announcement Request for Proposals
• Comments on Federal Register Notice
• Federal Register Notice and Request for Comments (PDF; 50KB)