A prominent liberal group is aiming to combat consolidation in the agriculture industry by lobbying lawmakers to establish an independent antitrust agency within the Agriculture Department (USDA), reported Politico.
The Center for American Progress (CAP) on Tuesday, May 7, floated a novel idea to counter the effects of a rapidly consolidating agriculture industry: establish an independent task force at USDA charged with maintaining competitive markets and protecting farmers from the harms of consolidation. CAP also backed other proposals including upping antitrust enforcement and restructuring farmer contracts with employers.
The proposed “Independent Farmer Protection Bureau” (IFPB) would be modeled after the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and led by a Senate-confirmed appointee with a five-year term. The IFPB would have offices across the country that collect data and monitor markets. The agency would also set up a hotline for farmers to issue complaints about anti-competitive practices and would have the authority to enforce antitrust laws and oversee the input side of markets.
Want more news? Subscribe to CPI’s free daily newsletter for more headlines and updates on antitrust developments around the world.
Featured News
Pork Industry Faces Legal Challenges as Antitrust Lawsuits Against Seaboard Foods Dismissed
Oct 2, 2024 by
CPI
CMA Strengthens Investigation with Advisory Panel of Veterinary Experts
Oct 2, 2024 by
CPI
US Merchants Sue Visa, Alleging Unfair Dominance in Debit Card Market
Oct 2, 2024 by
CPI
European Commission Appoints New Chief Competition Economist
Oct 2, 2024 by
CPI
EU Commission Requests Information from YouTube, Snapchat, TikTok on Algorithm Usage
Oct 2, 2024 by
CPI
Antitrust Mix by CPI
Antitrust Chronicle® – Refusal to Deal
Sep 27, 2024 by
CPI
Antitrust’s Refusal-to-Deal Doctrine: The Emperor Has No Clothes
Sep 27, 2024 by
Erik Hovenkamp
Why All Antitrust Claims are Refusal to Deal Claims and What that Means for Policy
Sep 27, 2024 by
Ramsi Woodcock
The Aspen Misadventure
Sep 27, 2024 by
Roger Blair & Holly P. Stidham
Refusal to Deal in Antitrust Law: Evolving Jurisprudence and Business Justifications in the Align Technology Case
Sep 27, 2024 by
Timothy Hsieh