Justice Department Settles Antitrust Case Against Meat Industry Data Provider

Under the agreement, Agri Stats will pay a fine and broaden the group of companies to which it sells its pricing information. Officials said the move is designed to increase competition among meat processors and ultimately help reduce food costs. The company had faced accusations that its limited distribution of detailed pricing and production data allowed processors to coordinate behavior in ways that kept prices higher.

By requiring Agri Stats to expand access to that data, the settlement aims to give more participants in the supply chain greater market visibility. The department announced the settlement on Friday. Officials described the changes as a step toward addressing long-standing concerns about concentration in the meatpacking sector, where a small number of large firms process the majority of beef, pork and poultry in the United States.

Agri Stats collects and sells highly specific information on processing volumes, costs and prices. Critics have argued that when only a few large buyers have access to such data, it can facilitate implicit collusion even without direct communication.

The settlement does not include an admission of wrongdoing by the company. Agri Stats will continue to sell its reports but must now make them available to a wider range of buyers, including smaller processors, retailers and other market participants.

Background on the Investigation The antitrust probe examined whether Agri Stats' business model contributed to higher meat prices paid by consumers and lower prices received by farmers and ranchers. Meat industry margins have drawn congressional and regulatory attention for several years amid volatile feed costs and fluctuating retail prices.