7, 1996
The PERKINS JOURNAL
This newspaper is dedicated to the memories of
Dr. K V. and Bea Clark
(USPS 42 8040)
Published every Thursday at
122 S. Main • Box 40 • Perkins, OK 74059
405-547-241 I
Rick and Kathy Clark
Publishers
The publishers are solely responsible for content and any errors will
be promptly corrected when brought to the attention of the pub-
lishers.
Office hours:
9-6, Mon.&Tues
CLOSED WEDNESDAY
CAPITOL
Poultry g
B,, B-II'IF
claim they're 'slaves'
By Jim Campbell, OPA Capitol News Bureau
Some contract poultry growers claim terms dictated by big
integrated food companies have made them slaves to debt.
They'd like a legislative fix, unlikely at this point. There is sym-
pathy in the Senate Agriculture .Committee, which conducted an
interim hearing, but has no solution.
"It was determined by the committee that we did not need to be
trying to legislate contracts, said Sen. Jack Bell D-Idabel.
Bell's 1995 bill entitlin ne remains m
may work against a grower who has cashed in
and spent $250,000 to start.
"You find yourself in debt and also
"After 10 years you might find out you aren't ever
of debt. And if you try to sell your farm the company
says it may cost you $60,000 for improvements."
Marinell Strain, secretary of the Oklahoma
Growers, wrote an open appeal for help to Bell. He
islature becomes involved in contracts for one group it
to do it for others, such as lumber growers. Meanw .h J
numbers of people becoming poultry growers is increasi ..
One of the largest companies, Tyson, employs more'.
people at a plant in his district.
HHH
The 'Ryan Luke' child abuse bill is "the sin
tant kind of work we can do to protect our children"
author Laura Boyd, D-Norman. The bill is headed
and an eventual conference committee. It's named
tot who died after a judge awarded
l
