AFBF says DOJ, USDA initiative gives producers a voice in anti-competitive behavior

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AFBF says DOJ, USDA initiative gives producers a voice in anti-competitive behavior

The American Farm Bureau says producers have an additional platform to share concerns about anti-trust violations in the packing industry.

Scott Bennet is the Director of Congressional Relations and says the joint initiative between the Department of Justice and USDA brings fairness to the industry. “We see that as a great move forward and provides additional transparency so that producers that feel that they are suffering from violations from those competition laws now have an avenue direct to the Department of Justice to air their concerns.”

Bennet says within the next 30 days, the two agencies will have a portal open where producers can report competition law violations.

Bennet tells Brownfield neither agency has given an update on pending investigations. “We don’t expect just the end of an investigation with a bow on top delivered to us,” Bennet says. “We know that quite frankly these investigations are continuous.  I feel that the Department of Justice is constantly looking at the meat packing industry, laser focused on them and making sure there are no bad actors and no violation of laws.”

The Biden administration announced earlier this week the two agencies will work together to conduct investigations into anti-competitive behavior.

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