Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul has launched a new partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and a bipartisan group of attorneys general to boost competition in food and agriculture markets. The partnership, called the Agricultural Competition Partnership, will focus on addressing unfair market practices that have resulted in higher prices and limited choices for both consumers and producers.
The partnership will combine resources and expertise from state and federal authorities to investigate and prosecute anticompetitive practices in the food and agriculture industry. The partnership will also provide financial support for complex cases and joint research efforts.
The partnership is a major step forward in the fight to boost competition in food and agriculture markets. The partnership will help to ensure that consumers have access to affordable, healthy food and that producers have a fair chance to compete.
The Agricultural Competition Partnership will focus on the following key areas:
- Anticompetitive practices: The partnership will investigate and prosecute anticompetitive practices, such as price-fixing, collusion, and bid rigging.
- Limited consumer and producer choices: The partnership will focus on addressing practices that limit consumer and producer choices, such as exclusive dealing agreements and vertical integration.
- Conflicts of interest: The partnership will focus on addressing conflicts of interest in the food and agriculture supply chains, such as when companies that control both the production and sale of a product have an incentive to raise prices.
The partnership will enhance the abilities of state attorneys general to assess competition and consumer concerns, promoting better cooperation between federal and state agriculture and competition authorities. The aim is to create fairer and more competitive markets, resulting in stronger food and agriculture supply chains.
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Categories: Wisconsin, Business