Holder Discusses Ag Issues With Vilsack
Attorney general Eric H. Holder Jr., recently traveled with agriculture secretary, Tom Vilsack, to Ankeny, IA where they co-hosted the first in a series of joint public workshops to explore competition issues affecting the agricultural sector in the 21st century. Special focus was on the appropriate role for antitrust and regulatory enforcement in that industry.
The meeting was called to discuss the concerns raised by farmers/ranchers that a few large companies had come to dominate many agricultural markets. Holder attempted to assure the gathered group that the Obama administration was serious about rooting out anti-competitive practices in agriculture.
“Is today’s agricultural industry suffering from a lack of free and fair competition in the marketplace? That’s the central question,” Holder said. “As to the Justice and Agricultural Departments of the Federal government working together, you will see an historic era of enforcement that will almost inevitably grow from the partnership that we have established.”
The U.S. Department of Justice, Antitrust Division and the USDA will continue the series of public workshops to explore competition issues affecting the agricultural sector in the 21st century and the appropriate role for antitrust and regulatory enforcement in that industry. Upcoming events are listed below:
May 21, 2010, Normal, AL: Poultry Industry: Discussion topics may include production contracts in the poultry industry, concentration and buyer power.
June 7, 2010, Madison, WI: Dairy Industry: Topics may include concentration, marketplace transparency and vertical integration in the dairy industry.
August 26, 2010, Fort Collins, CO: Livestock Industry: This workshop will focus on beef, hog and other animal sectors. Topics include enforcement of the Packers and Stockyards Act and concentration.
December 8, 2010, Washington, D.C.
This workshop will look at the discrepancies between prices received by farmers and prices paid by consumers. Discussions from previous workshops will be incorporated into the analysis of ag markets nationally.