Agri Stats: Difference between revisions
Created page with "{{CompanyCargo |Founded=1985 |Industry=Data Collection, Comparative Data |Logo=Agri-stats-logo-920.png |ParentCompany=Agri Stats Omega Holding Co. LP |Type=Inc }} {{Ph-C-Int}} ==Consumer-impact summary== {{Ph-C-CIS}} ==Incidents== {{Ph-C-Inc}} This is a list of all consumer-protection incidents this company is involved in. Any incidents not mentioned here can be found in the [[:Category:{{FULLPAGENAME}}|{{PAGENAME}} category]]. ===Example incident one (''date..." |
Added company summary, Consumer Impact section discussing the Business Model and Market Control, and U.S. v. Agri Stats, Inc., with relevant citations. |
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|ParentCompany=Agri Stats Omega Holding Co. LP | |ParentCompany=Agri Stats Omega Holding Co. LP | ||
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}} | |Website=https://www.agristats.com/|Description=Provide comparative agricultural data to organizations in the industry in order to support data driven decision making.}} | ||
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Agri Stats is a company based in Indiana, U.S. which collects and analyzes comparative data to sell to agricultural organizations in support of data driven decision making. They were founded in 1865 by Jim Cox, who was a poultry farmer at the time. The company website states that the business started "as a way to help chicken producers make informed decisions based on flock-level cost and performance data"<ref>{{Cite web |title=Company History |url=https://www.agristats.com/company-history/ |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-05 |website=Agri Stats}}</ref>. They have since expanded into other agricultural markets including but not limited to swine, feed, livestock, sanitation, and vaccination. | |||
==Consumer-impact summary== | ==Consumer-impact summary== | ||
{{ | |||
=== Business Model === | |||
With filings against the company by the Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice for anti-competitive practices, this shows a possibility for their business model being anti-competitive in nature. | |||
=== Market Control === | |||
The nature of Agri Stats data means that if the services they are providing aren't sufficiently anonymized, then it can lead to unreasonable market control. Their business model relies on a preservation of "confidentiality among processors by masking the sources of the data it reports"<ref>{{Cite news |last=Douglas |first=Leah |last2=Leonard |first2=Christopher |date=2019-08-02 |title=Is the US chicken industry cheating its farmers? |url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/aug/03/is-the-us-chicken-industry-cheating-its-farmers#:~:text=Agri%20Stats%20was%20founded%20in,anything%20about%20its%20business%20model. |url-status=live |work=The Guardian}}</ref>, however, de-anonymization, especially of sensitive information, can lead to a restraining of competition<ref>{{Cite web |last=Norris Donahue |first=Lauren |last2=Pereira Duarte |first2=Victoria |date=2024-10-15 |title=DOJ Speaks Again: Information Exchanges Can Constitute Stand-Alone Violation of Antitrust Laws |url=https://www.klgates.com/DOJ-Speaks-Again-Information-Exchanges-Can-Constitute-Stand-Alone-Violation-of-Antitrust-Laws-10-15-2024#:~:text=%E2%80%9CThe%20more%20sensitive%20the%20information,information%20can%20still%20raise%20concerns. |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-05 |website=K&L Gates}}</ref>. | |||
==Incidents== | ==Incidents== | ||
{{ | This is a list of all consumer-protection incidents this company is involved in. Any incidents not mentioned here can be found in the [[:Category:{{FULLPAGENAME}}|{{PAGENAME}} category]]. | ||
=== Anti-Competitive Practices === | |||
==== U.S. v. Agri Stats, Inc. (28 September 2023 - Present) ==== | |||
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>. | |||
On Monday May 4, 2026, U.S. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche lead a news conference where White House adviser Peter Navarro expressed that the "U.S. Department of Justice plans to settle its case against data company Agri Stats with an agreement officials hope will help drive down food costs"<ref>{{Cite news |last=Godoy |first=Jody |date=2026-05-04 |title=DOJ plans to settle Agri Stats case, White House official says |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/us/doj-taking-aim-food-prices-acting-ag-says-2026-05-04/ |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-05 |work=Reuters}}</ref>. | |||
Agri Stats published a [https://www.agristats.com/doj-lawsuit-against-agri-stats-is-wrong-on-the-law-and-bad-for-consumers/ news article] on September 28, 2023 in response to the DOJ accusations, where they discuss the claim that their business practices assist producers in reducing production cost. | |||
==Products== | ==Products== | ||
{{Ph-C-P}} | {{Ph-C-P}}The companies product description can be found [https://www.agristats.com/services/ here]. | ||
==See also== | ==See also== | ||
Revision as of 23:08, 5 May 2026
| Basic information | |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1985 |
| Legal Structure | Inc |
| Industry | Data Collection, Comparative Data |
| Also known as | |
| Official website | https://www.agristats.com/ |
Agri Stats is a company based in Indiana, U.S. which collects and analyzes comparative data to sell to agricultural organizations in support of data driven decision making. They were founded in 1865 by Jim Cox, who was a poultry farmer at the time. The company website states that the business started "as a way to help chicken producers make informed decisions based on flock-level cost and performance data"[1]. They have since expanded into other agricultural markets including but not limited to swine, feed, livestock, sanitation, and vaccination.
Consumer-impact summary
Business Model
With filings against the company by the Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice for anti-competitive practices, this shows a possibility for their business model being anti-competitive in nature.
Market Control
The nature of Agri Stats data means that if the services they are providing aren't sufficiently anonymized, then it can lead to unreasonable market control. Their business model relies on a preservation of "confidentiality among processors by masking the sources of the data it reports"[2], however, de-anonymization, especially of sensitive information, can lead to a restraining of competition[3].
Incidents
This is a list of all consumer-protection incidents this company is involved in. Any incidents not mentioned here can be found in the Agri Stats category.
Anti-Competitive Practices
U.S. v. Agri Stats, Inc. (28 September 2023 - Present)
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"[4]. 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"[5]. 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"[4]. 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[6].
On Monday May 4, 2026, U.S. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche lead a news conference where White House adviser Peter Navarro expressed that the "U.S. Department of Justice plans to settle its case against data company Agri Stats with an agreement officials hope will help drive down food costs"[7].
Agri Stats published a news article on September 28, 2023 in response to the DOJ accusations, where they discuss the claim that their business practices assist producers in reducing production cost.
Products
The companies product description can be found here.
See also
References
- ↑ "Company History". Agri Stats. Retrieved 2026-05-05.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ Douglas, Leah; Leonard, Christopher (2019-08-02). "Is the US chicken industry cheating its farmers?". The Guardian.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ Norris Donahue, Lauren; Pereira Duarte, Victoria (2024-10-15). "DOJ Speaks Again: Information Exchanges Can Constitute Stand-Alone Violation of Antitrust Laws". K&L Gates. Retrieved 2026-05-05.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ 4.0 4.1 "CHAPTER 1-MONOPOLIES AND COMBINATIONS IN RESTRAINT OF TRADE". Office of the Law Revision Counsel - United States Code. 1890-07-02. Retrieved 2026-05-05.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF MINNESOTA" (PDF). Department of Justice. 2023-09-28. Retrieved 2026-05-05.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT DISTRICT OF MINNESOTA". Department of Justice. 2024-05-28. pp. 5, 14. Retrieved 2026-05-06.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ Godoy, Jody (2026-05-04). "DOJ plans to settle Agri Stats case, White House official says". Reuters. Retrieved 2026-05-05.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)