Federal Register #2026-11329

DOJ Antitrust Final Judgment: Agri Stats, Inc. Information Sharing Case

This notice details the Department of Justice Antitrust Division's proposed final judgment in the civil antitrust case against Agri Stats, Inc. for anticompetitive information sharing among major meat processors. - Government Buyer: - United States Department of Justice, Antitrust Division, Anti-Monopoly and Collusion Enforcement Section - OEMs and Vendors Mentioned: - Agri Stats, Inc. (primary defendant) - Major meat processors named as co-conspirators, including Tyson Foods, Sanderson Farms, Pilgrim's Pride, Perdue Farms, Smithfield Foods, JBS USA, Hormel Foods, Butterball, and others - Products/Services Requested: - No products or commercial services are being procured - Service: Antitrust compliance monitoring and enforcement by a court-appointed monitor - Unique or Notable Requirements: - Agri Stats must cease sharing nonpublic, recent, and granular pricing, output, and cost data among competitors - Most information must be made available for public purchase on reasonable and non-discriminatory terms - Implementation of a comprehensive antitrust compliance program - Oversight by a court-appointed monitor for up to 7 years, with the Final Judgment in effect for up to 10 years - Enforcement provisions allow for action up to 4 years after expiration if violations are discovered - No procurement of goods or commercial services; this is an informational notice regarding antitrust enforcement and compliance requirements

Description

This notice relates to the proposed final judgment and competitive impact statement in the antitrust case United States et al. v. Agri Stats, Inc. The case involves allegations that Agri Stats operated information exchanges among competing meat processors that unreasonably restrained trade in violation of the Sherman Act. The proposed final judgment requires Agri Stats to make significant changes to its information-sharing business, including prohibiting sharing of nonpublic pricing information among competitors, requiring information to be at least 45 days old, making most information available for public purchase on reasonable terms, and implementing an antitrust compliance program. Oversight by a monitoring trustee is also mandated to ensure compliance.

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