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DOJ suing data company for allegedly helping meat packers suppress competition

The Department of Justice has filed a lawsuit against a data company for its alleged role in helping pork and poultry processors manipulate the market.

The complaint filed in Minnesota district court on Thursday says that Agri Stats organized and managed anticompetitive information exchanges with meatpackers who use the firm to set prices. It says information sharing led to higher prices for consumers and lower protein production.

The complaint says that Agri Stats withholds reports from meat purchasers, workers and consumers, which has resulted in competitive harm.  It says the company temporarily paused its turkey and pork reporting aver facing several antitrust lawsuits but did not for chicken.

Agri Stats says the lawsuit is a baseless antitrust allegation and the company has played a vital role in helping improve efficiency and innovation during a time when prices have dropped.  

The reports are published on a weekly and monthly basis, and used by Tyson Foods, JBS, Cargill and other companies.

The DOJ investigated Agri Stats in 2012 and closed the investigation without taking any action.