USDA and DOJ Hold Second Workshop on Competition Issues

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Department of Justice (DOJ) recently held the second workshop in a series dedicated to competition and regulatory issues in agriculture. Held in Normal, Alabama, the forum reportedly focused on the poultry industry and featured the remarks of U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder and USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack, as well as roundtable discussions with farmers, academics and other stakeholders. According to a May 21, 2010, USDA press release, Holder reiterated that both agencies were committed to “protecting competition in those markets.”

News sources have also noted Holder’s pledge to “understand why a growing number of American producers and farmers find it increasingly difficult to survive what they’ve done for decades.” A transcript of the proceedings will become available on the DOJ Antitrust Division website at a later date. See The Huntsville Times, May 21, 2010.