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The
USDA on Wednesday said it would coordinate with the bipartisan
group of attorneys general on antitrust enforcement amid
concerns about industry practices.
Farmers and ranchers have for decades complained of poor prices
and unfair contracts from the biggest buyers and processors in
the highly consolidated agriculture sector.
Months of food price inflation, only recently abating, have also
raised questions from farm groups and lawmakers about whether
companies were artificially hiking prices.
"We can ensure a more robust and competitive agricultural
sector," said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack in a statement.
The USDA partnership with states will focus on anticompetitive
practices including price fixing and gouging, as well as create
new research programs to study the issue, the department said.
In the coming months, USDA will also finalize new rules under
the Packers and Stockyards Act, a century-old antitrust law
meant to protect farmers from anticompetitive conduct, a senior
administration official said in a call with reporters.
USDA has already proposed two of three expected rules.
The agency will also disburse additional grants to expand meat
and poultry processing capacity that would increase the number
of options for ranchers, the official said.
President Joe Biden, a Democrat who has pledged to tackle
anticompetitive conduct across the economy, is scheduled to meet
with Vilsack and other members of his competition council later
on Wednesday.
(Reporting by Leah Douglas; editing by Susan Heavey)
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