OCM – Organization for Competitive Markets

BREAKING: Department of Justice Files Amicus Brief in Dairy Farmers of America Lawsuit

OCM Staff — Tue, 28 Jul 2020 23:37:36 +0000

On July 27th, 2020, the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) filed an amicus brief in a lawsuit against Dairy Farmers of America, the United States’ largest dairy cooperative. The lawsuit, filed in Vermont U.S. District Court, alleges that DFA and other cooperatives agreed not to compete for each other’s farmer-members, conspired to share payment information in order to discourage competition and depress prices, and maintained those low prices market-wide by entering into supply agreements with Dean Foods Read More ...

Online Event: Meat Processing and Inspection with Dr. James Dillon

OCM Staff — Fri, 26 Jun 2020 15:04:43 +0000

On June 25th, 2020, OCM launched the first video of its summer online event series, a presentation by Dr. James Dillon, Director of the Texas Meat and Poultry Inspection Program. This video is a great overview of the different types of meat inspection, and discusses the effects of currently proposed legislation that would affect the market access of state-inspected meat. You can watch the video presentation here: Here is a breakdown with links to the relevant sections of Read More ...

Bloomberg | U.S. Meat Giants Face Biggest Attack in Century From Probe

OCM Staff — Mon, 15 Jun 2020 21:28:50 +0000

by David McLaughlin Source: Bloomberg Business Date Published: June 15, 2020 The Trump administration is launching what could turn out to be the biggest attack in a century against the giants of America’s meat industry, which already faced uproar over employee treatment during the pandemic. The Justice Department is bringing criminal charges in the poultry industry just as it opens a formal probe of beef companies. Regulators are also scrutinizing potential price manipulation, and on Capitol Hill, lawmakers are clamoring for a Read More ...

WNAX Radio | Meat Packers Facing Civil Case Charging Collusion And Price Fixing

OCM Staff — Thu, 11 Jun 2020 21:20:14 +0000

Source: WNAX Radio Date Published: June 11, 2020 The Four Big meatpackers are under a lot of pressure lately with not only the Justice Department Investigation but now a Chicago Grocery Chain has filed a civil lawsuit against them charging collusion and price fixing. Organization for Competitive Markets Interim Executive Director Ben Gotschall says the problem of packers getting paid more than producers for their cattle has been around a long time. South Dakota Cattlemen’s Association President Eric Read More ...

South Dakota Public Broadcasting | Pandemic Widens Gulf Between Packers and Producers

OCM Staff — Tue, 02 Jun 2020 21:14:30 +0000

by Seth Tupper Source: South Dakota Public Broadcasting Date Published: June 2, 2020 Rancher Rick Fox said there aren’t as many buyers for his cattle anymore, because the four major beef processors are so big they’ve pushed out competition. He said that drives down the price of cattle. “It’s kind of like going to a farm auction and if you wait till the end of the sale when everybody leaves, you get a pretty good deal,” Fox said. That good deal for meatpackers Read More ...

High Plains Journal | COVID-19 exposing stress points in meat supply system

OCM Staff — Sun, 24 May 2020 21:08:21 +0000

by David Murray Source: High Plains Journal Date Published: May 24, 2020 As the COVID-19 crisis grinds on, it is exposing serious stress points in the nation’s delicately balanced meat supply system. Decades of consolidation and centralization in the meat processing industry have created a system precisely attuned to serve the exact mix of retail and wholesale meat customers that existed prior to the virus. Improved logistics and data management techniques have helped the system operate in as Read More ...

The Hagstorm Report | Trump remarks on imports cause stir among cattle groups

OCM Staff — Wed, 20 May 2020 21:03:44 +0000

Source: The Fence Post Published: May 20, 2020 President Donald Trump’s comments critical of cattle imports Tuesday at a White House farmer and rancher event have caused a stir among the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, the U.S. Cattlemen’s Association and the Organization for Competitive Markets. In the middle of a presentation on the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program, Trump seemed to divert from prepared remarks, saying apparently to Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, who was standing nearby, “I read yesterday Read More ...

WNAX | OCM Wants Regulators To Disallow DFA Acquisition Of Majority Of Dean Foods

OCM Staff — Mon, 23 Mar 2020 16:38:02 +0000

Dean Foods officials have announced that Dairy Farmers of America is the winning bidder to acquire 44 of their fluid and frozen facilities for $433 million. Organization For Competitive Markets Director of Policy and Research Ben Gotschall says that’s a huge concentration concern and that that deal still must be approved before it goes through. He says it’s important to note that the U.S. Justice Department is investigating any possible anti-trust concerns with this acquisition. Gotschall says antitrust Read More ...

WNAX | Organization For Competitive Markets Is Monitoring Sale Of Dean Foods Assets

OCM Staff — Thu, 19 Mar 2020 16:19:29 +0000

The Organization For Competitive Markets is monitoring the bidding process for the acquisition of Dean Foods assets following the company’s decision to file for bankruptcy. Earlier Dean had received an offer from Dairy Farmers of America to purchase some of their assets however they have now withdrawn that offer. That move allows for a competitive bidding process. OCM Policy and Research Director Ben Gotschall says that competitive bidding is what’s needed to address concentration concerns. He says OCM Read More ...

WNAX | OCM Calling For Revision Of DOJ And FTC Vertical Merger Guidelines

OCM Staff — Fri, 21 Feb 2020 17:23:34 +0000

The Organization for Competitive Markets has filed comments with the U.S. Justice Department and Federal Trade Commission on their Vertical Merger Guidelines. OCM Director of Policy and Research Ben Gotschall says those guidelines haven’t been revised since 1982 and have several shortcomings that need fixing. He says the current guidelines don’t give enough protection to consumers, or farmers and ranchers and need to be thrown out and replaced. Gotschall says there’s also a comment period going on now Read More ...