Antitrust Litigation in the Protein Markets

• Author: Brianna L. Alderman,Roger D. Blair
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1177/0003603X221149325
• Published date: 01 March 2023
• Date: 01 March 2023
• Subject Matter: Articles

https://doi.org/10.1177/0003603X221149325

The Antitrust Bulletin

2023, Vol. 68(1) 3 –9

© The Author(s) 2023

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DOI: 10.1177/0003603X221149325

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Article

Antitrust Litigation in the Protein

Markets

Brianna L. Alderman* and Roger D. Blair**

Abstract

Allegations of collusion are prevalent in many of the major protein markets including beef, chicken,

eggs, pork, salmon, tuna, and turkey. The sources of collusion, however, are different across markets.

For some markets, like chicken and pork, the collusion was allegedly facilitated through information

exchanges using Agri Stats, a data collection and sharing service. In other markets, the collusion was

facilitated among parties within the market. There are allegations of collusion in the input markets

for some proteins, the output markets for others, and some like chicken and beef have allegations in

both. While many of these cases are ongoing, there have been a few cases where settlements have

been reached or the courts have decided on a verdict. This introduction provides a snapshot of the

many articles in our symposium that specialize on one protein market or another. We provide a brief

review of each case, as well as emphasize the importance of this research given how substantial the

protein markets are in the U.S.

Keywords

collusion, monopoly, monopsony, price-fixing

I. Introduction

The markets for protein include beef, chicken, eggs, lamb, pork, salmon, tuna, and turkey. All have

been plagued by allegations of collusion aimed at increasing profit at the public’s expense. According

to complaints by cattle ranchers and chicken farmers, input markets have been hit by collusive efforts

to depress the prices paid by the meatpackers. If the allegations are true, beef and chicken consumers

have been hit with a double whammy—collusion in both the input markets and the output markets. The

increases in output prices caused by collusive monopsony in the input markets are compounded by

increases in prices in the output markets by collusive monopoly.

In other protein markets, there have been no allegations of collusion in the input market. Nonetheless,

collusion in the output market necessarily involves unintended consequences for an input supplier.

*Ronald E. McNair Research Scholar, Department of Economics, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA

**Professor, Department of Economics, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA; Affiliate Faculty, Levin College of Law,

University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA

Corresponding Author:

Brianna L. Alderman, Ronald E. McNair Research Scholar, Department of Economics, University of Florida, 224 Matherly Hall,

P.O. Box 117140, Gainesville, FL 32611-7140, USA.

Email: brianna.alderman@ufl.edu

1149325ABXXXX10.1177/0003603X221149325The Antitrust BulletinAlderman and Blair

research-article2023