Testimonies

Corporate Price Gouging and Food System Consolidation

Testimony to the U.S. Senate Banking Subcommittee on Economic Policy, 5/22/24

Farm Action’s Joe Maxwell highlighted our research investigating price gouging across the food system, including in the highly consolidated fertilizer, egg, and beef sectors. His testimony demonstrates how dominant firms have used their market power to extract excessive profits through price gouging during periods of industry-claimed supply disruption and production cost increases.

Challenging Corporations' Anticompetitive and Collusive Behavior

Testimony to the Federal Trade Commission, 1/19/2023

Farm Action’s Joe Van Wye joined an open Commission meeting to discuss areas of work that fall under the jurisdiction of the FTC. He praised the Commission for its work to ban non-compete clauses and for its enhanced oversight of anticompetitive mergers, and asked for action to hold monopoly egg corporations accountable for potential price gouging. 

Consolidation in Seeds and Agrochemicals

Testimony to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 8/24/2022

The USDA held a public listening session to gather additional information about farmers’ concerns regarding seeds and agricultural inputs, fertilizer, and retail markets. Farm Action’s Sarah Carden delivered testimony laying out five concrete actions the USDA should take to break up the oligopolies’ control over seeds and agrochemicals.

Ohio Field Hearing on the 2023 Farm Bill

Testimony to members of the House Agriculture Committee, 8/22/2022

Farm Action’s Vice President and Co-founder Angela Huffman pointed out that the only thing our food system guarantees is that the CEOs of the largest multinational corporations get richer, and discussed shifting priorities to Food, Not Feed.

Firsthand Effects of Mergers and Acquisitions

Testimony at a listening forum hosted by the Justice Department and the Federal Trade Commission, 3/28/2022

At a listening forum on the effects of unbridled mergers in agriculture, Angela Huffman illustrated the results of corporate concentration in the fertilizer and farm equipment industries — and how stronger antitrust laws could fix the problems.

Reviving Competition: Addressing the Effects of Economic Concentration on America’s Food Supply

Testimony for the U.S. House Judiciary Subcommittee on Antitrust, Commercial and Administrative Law, 1/19/2022

In his testimony, Farm Action President and Co-founder Joe Maxwell focused on the highly consolidated fertilizer industry, as well as the abusive dynamics found in beef markets, where consolidation results in low income for the producer, high prices for the consumer, and excessive profits for the big meatpacker

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