New farmer fairness tool will help ranchers survive
The U.S. Departments of Justice and Agriculture (USDA) launched farmerfairness.gov, a new online tool letting farmers and ranchers anonymously report unfair and anticompetitive practices in livestock and poultry sectors. This advances the Biden-harris Administration’s “Action Plan for Fairer, More Competitive, and More Resilient Meat and Poultry Supply Chain,” including creating more competitive agricultural markets which fairer to producers and consumers.
Complaints or tips go through a review by the U.S. Department of Justice Antitrust Division staff and USDA Packers and Stockyards Division (PSD) staff. The action may lead to a formal investigation.
Users of farmerfairness. gov submit information under names or submit anonymous complaints.
The U.S. Justice Department and USDA will follow their privacy and confidentiality policies at Justice Department Confidentiality, USDA Privacy, and Packers and Stockyards regulations at PSD Confidentiality. The U.S. Justice Department and USDA commit to supporting relevant whistleblower protections, including newly applicable protections for criminal antitrust complainants against unlawful retaliation.
The meatpacking industry has consolidated while farmers’ agricultural product values decreased, and poultry farmers, hog farmers, cattle ranchers and other agricultural workers may struggle to retain autonomy and make profits.
Most farmers have little or no choice of buyer for their product and little leverage to negotiate, causing their share of every dollar spent on food to decline.
The Biden-harris Administration aims to expand independent processing capacity and support workers and the independent processor industry.
— Emzy Veazy III, Aspen