Articles tagged under: Department of Justice
DOJ Monitoring Farm Input Costs
Published February 21, 2022
The Justice Department is prioritizing investigations into companies that manipulate supply chain disruptions to raise prices. With this initiative, the DOJ said it will prosecute violations of antitrust laws, including any agreements to fix prices or allocate markets. The announcement…Price-Fixing Indictments in the Poultry Sector
Published July 30, 2021
The Justice Department has filed indictments against Koch Foods and four executives from Pilgrim’s Pride. There are allegations of a conspiracy to suppress and eliminate competition in the poultry business. Fourteen individuals have now charged in this price-fixing case.DOJ and CFTC Investigate Ceres Global
Published June 21, 2021
Minneapolis-based Ceres Global Ag Corp is cooperating with the Department of Justice and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission regarding the company’s trading activities. Trades in the oat market from 2016-to-2019 are at the center of this investigation.DOJ Weighs in on Zen-Noh/Bunge Deal
Published June 3, 2021
To move forward with its planned acquisition of Bunge North America, the Justice Department is demanding the Zen-Noh Grain Corporation divest nine grain elevators along the Mississippi River and its tributaries. If this happens, the DOJ says it would resolve…GOP Lawmakers Ask DOJ to Investigate Packers
Published May 18, 2021
Sixteen House and Senate Republicans, including the entire congressional delegations from North Dakota and South Dakota, are asking the Justice Department to continue its investigation of the meatpacking industry. Nearly one year ago, the DOJ sent civil investigative demands to…#5 Story of 2020: DOJ Launches an Investigation into the Cattle Markets
Published December 30, 2020
Responding to requests from ranchers, farm organizations and state lawmakers, the Department of Justice launched an investigation into anti-competitive activity by the major beef packers. As a result of two major market-disrupting events within the industry, USDA then released a…The Department of Justice Turns Down Request from Oil Refiners
Published December 10, 2020
The Department of Justice is recommending against a Supreme Court review of the Tenth Circuit Court’s ruling that overturned several small refinery exemptions. In September, two oil refiners asked the Supreme Court to review the court’s decision. In a joint…USDA Releases Report on the Boxed Beef and Fed Cattle Price Spread
Published July 22, 2020
After keeping cattle producers waiting for months, USDA has released a report on the investigation into the boxed beef and fed cattle price spread. The investigation was prompted after a fire closed the Tyson beef packing plant in Holcomb, Kansas…DOJ Launches Antitrust Investigation
Published June 8, 2020
The Justice Department is investigating the major beef packers for possible antitrust violations. Civil subpoenas have been issued to JBS, Tyson Foods, Cargill and National Beef Packing. Earlier this year, Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said the Agriculture Department would extend…