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DOJ, States Reach Antitrust Deal With Agri Stats Aimed at Lowering Meat Prices

By  |  May 10, 2026

The U.S. Department of Justice and six states have reached a settlement in their antitrust lawsuit against agricultural data company Agri Stats, a move federal officials say could help reduce meat prices for American consumers, according to Reuters. The agreement, announced Thursday, comes as the Trump administration continues to emphasize affordability concerns for households facing higher living costs, including elevated fuel prices and grocery expenses.

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    The lawsuit, originally filed in September 2023, accused Indiana-based Agri Stats of distributing weekly reports on meat pricing and sales data that allegedly enabled anti-competitive behavior across the chicken, pork, and turkey sectors, according to Reuters. The case had been scheduled to go to trial this month before the parties reached the agreement.

    Under the settlement, Agri Stats will face new restrictions on the type of information it can collect, compile, and distribute. Per Reuters, the company will be required to broaden access to its market reports beyond meat processors, making the information available to meat buyers such as grocery stores and restaurants as well.

    “‘This Department of Justice is laser-focused on making everyday life affordable for all Americans,’ Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said.”  The states participating in the settlement include California, Minnesota, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Utah.

    The agreement still requires approval from the judge overseeing the case before it can take effect.

    Related: Meatpacking Giants Face Federal Antitrust Scrutiny Over Consumer Prices

    Agri Stats President Eric Scholer welcomed the resolution in a statement, according to Reuters, and defended the company’s role in the industry. He said the firm’s reports have supported chicken producers in expanding output while lowering operating costs.

    “‘It has not been easy for a small company to litigate against a massive government agency with unlimited resources, and ⁠we could not have achieved this outcome had our customers not stood behind us,’ he said.”

    The proposed judgment would prohibit Agri Stats from offering sales report books and sharply limit its ability to distribute sales data, except in specific circumstances such as providing companies with their own internal information. The company would also be barred from identifying contributors, publishing company rankings, or disclosing plant-level or business-unit-level data except under narrowly defined conditions.

    Per Reuters, the settlement would also require Agri Stats to make its reports and manuals available for purchase to any individual or business in the United States under terms at least as favorable as those offered to meat processors. Additional safeguards would impose confidentiality standards and limit the use of recent production data in reports.

    The agreement further calls for a court-appointed monitor to oversee compliance for as long as seven years. Agri Stats would also be required to establish an antitrust compliance program that includes employee training, whistleblower protections, and mandatory reporting of potential violations.

    Source: Reuters