Enforcement — Latest Stories

Washington AG Sues to Block Kroger-Albertsons Merger

Kroger and Albertsons sell over half of all groceries in Washington state. State antitrust enforcers say that their merger will raise prices and harm workers and they’re suing to stop the deal.

2023 Year End Round Up

A recap of some of our biggest stories of 2023 and a look ahead to antimonopoly action expected in 2024.

Jury Finds Egg Companies Guilty of Price-Fixing

After 15 years in the courts, last week a federal jury found the two largest egg companies guilty of conspiring to cut the egg supply and raise prices.

Why Albertsons and Kroger's Spinoff Deal Won’t Work

Checking in on antitrust review of Kroger and Albertson’s proposed merger, one year later.

Justice Department Challenges Information-Sharing Scheme Between Meat Processors

Agri Stats collects and shares detailed data on meat companies’ prices, wages, production levels, and profit margins. Antitrust enforcers say that meat packers used this information to fix prices and suppress wages.

EnforcementClaire KellowayOctober 5, 2023enforcement, agri stats, meatpacking, price fixing, DOJ, Secondary Feature

Antitrust Enforcers Draft New Guidelines for Approving Mergers. Here’s What It Means for the Food Industry.

DOJ and FTC set new standards for reviewing mergers and acquisitions that take a stronger stance against concentrated market structures, vertical integration, harms to suppliers, and more.

Policy, EnforcementClaire KellowayAugust 10, 2023FTC, DOJ, merger guidelines, mergers, vertical integration, Secondary Feature

Class Action Alleging Sheep Herder Wage-Fixing Moves Forward

Sheep ranchers hire guest workers, the bulk of their workforce, through a joint venture that offers the same, legal minimum wage across all openings. A class action suit alleges this violates antitrust laws.

FTC Says Pesticide Companies Paid to Block Cheaper Competitors, Raising Prices

The FTC alleges that Syngenta and Corteva maintained pesticide monopolies by paying distributors not to carry generic products. Pesticide firms aren’t the only businesses using pay-to-block schemes.

DOJ Settlement with Cargill and Sanderson has Big Implications for Chicken Farmers and Workers

Antitrust enforcers didn’t block Cargill’s takeover of Sanderson Farms, but they did challenge the companies for wage-fixing and deception, securing some significant changes for farmers and workers.

Enforcement, Poultry & LivestockClaire KellowayAugust 4, 2022price fixing, wage-fixing, mergers, Chicken, cargill

Farmers, Ranchers, and Business Owners Urge Antitrust Action at Agency Midterm Review

Open Markets and Farm Action hosted farmers and other food business owners in Washington, DC to assess the Biden administration’s commitment to restoring fair competition in the food system.

Enforcement, PolicyAmy HuoJune 17, 2022USDA, DOJ, FTC, Executive Order, Biden