After 15 years in the courts, last week a federal jury found the two largest egg companies guilty of conspiring to cut the egg supply and raise prices.
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USDA and DOJ collaborate to sue Koch Foods for restrictive contract termination fees. USDA also finalizes poultry contract transparency rule. Farmers say keep the foot on the gas.
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Policy makers have a chance to create an open, competitive, and fair cellular meat industry. But early investments by venture capital and conventional meat could shape this new market in Big Ag’s image.
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Walmart will source beef for its new case-ready beef plant in Kansas from Sustainable Beef, a rancher-owned packing plant in which Walmart has a minority stake. Founders say this is the future, other ranchers say its the end of competitive price discovery.
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Sheep ranchers hire guest workers, the bulk of their workforce, through a joint venture that offers the same, legal minimum wage across all openings. A class action suit alleges this violates antitrust laws.
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JBS will buy undisclosed assets from Iowa hog producer TriOak, locking up a supply of Prop-12 compliant hogs and vertically integrating an already consolidated industry.
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Shell buys biogas company that will turn cow manure into burnable gas. Opponents say these taxpayer supported projects expand dirty gas infrastructure and polluting industrial animal farms.
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Recently unsealed legal evidence documents how Hormel misled consumers by selling the same industrially raised animals under its Natural Choice and conventional product lines.
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New USDA rule could clear the way for farmers to challenge meatpackers for retaliation and discrimination. Plus USDA commits $15 million to boost state attorneys general.
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The National Pork Producers Council says California’s Prop. 12 will drive small farms out of business. But a group of small farmers argues that the anti-crate law gives them a rare market opportunity.
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Antitrust enforcers didn’t block Cargill’s takeover of Sanderson Farms, but they did challenge the companies for wage-fixing and deception, securing some significant changes for farmers and workers.
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USDA’s proposed rule would require that chicken companies provide more information to their contract growers to better project earnings and spot unfairness.
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