Agri Stats: Difference between revisions

===Anti-Competitive Practices===

On September 28, 2023 the Department of Justice filed a complaint against Agri Stats on the basis of violation of Section 1 of the Sherman Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1, which states that any contract "in restraint of trade or commerce among the several States, or with foreign nations, is declared to be illegal"<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=1890-07-02 |title=CHAPTER 1-MONOPOLIES AND COMBINATIONS IN RESTRAINT OF TRADE |url=https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-1999-title15-section1&num=0&edition=1999 |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-05 |website=Office of the Law Revision Counsel - United States Code}}</ref>. In the filing the DOJ states that the United States brings action to "stop Agri Stats’ anticompetitive scheme and restore competition to heartland U.S. agriculture markets"<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-09-28 |title=UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF MINNESOTA |url=https://www.justice.gov/d9/2023-10/416782.pdf |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-05 |website=Department of Justice}}</ref>. The complaint alleges that Agri Stats shared sensitive market information between competitors through subscription and business consultation services, which allowed processors to forecast competitors production and withhold output at beneficial times when it is was deemed profitable, potentially leading to higher than normal price increases. Additionally the DOJ states that Agri Stats shared sensitive wage information, farmer pay, and "other compensation metrics"<ref name=":0" />. On May 28, 2024 a Motion to Transfer and a Motion to Dismiss were filed with the District of Minnesota, both of which were dismissed<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-05-28 |title=UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT DISTRICT OF MINNESOTA |url=https://www.justice.gov/atr/media/1359226/dl?inline |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-06 |website=Department of Justice |pages=5, 14}}</ref>.