Vertical integration and concentration in hog production have made it difficult for small, family hog farms to survive. This article examines a small group of Iowa hog farmers who formed a cooperative to raise and sell "free-range" pork to niche markets. By forming a cooperative, these farmers actively sought to resist structural change in the pork industry. Despite the availability of markets and adequate hog supplies, this fledgling cooperative faced a number of obstacles, including social pressure from other farmers and disagreements about the adequacy of their hog-raising methods. The future of this cooperative is uncertain, and it faces an uphill battle against the dominant pork producers.
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