March, 30 2020, 12:00am EDT
DOJ Using Pandemic to Give Corporate Agriculture A Fast-Track to Lethal Mega-Mergers
Instead of prioritizing predatory agribusiness, agencies must block consolidation to safeguard struggling communities and small farmers
WASHINGTON
Today, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) resumed a policy to cut certain merger review processes in response to COVID-19.
Normally companies that are looking to merge have to notify FTC and DOJ ahead of time about mergers that reach certain thresholds. The agencies have 30 days to review and authorize requests or ask for additional information that requires a second waiting period.
FTC and DOJ typically have the ability to end the initial waiting period early without a second request, but in light of coronavirus, early termination was halted. Today's announcement removes that safeguard and allows expedited mega-mergers to resume.
In response, Amanda Starbuck, Senior Researcher and Food Policy Analyst of Food & Water Action, issued the following statement:
"In a time when Americans are more vulnerable than ever, it is outrageous that our protective agencies are backpedaling on... protections. Early termination of merger requests was halted for a reason. Megamergers threaten the livelihood of small farmers, rural communities, and the health of consumers and the environment. Right now all four of those are debilitated by the coronavirus pandemic.
"Our government should be blocking corporate agricultural consolidation entirely, not fast-tracking megamerger requests. Lax antitrust enforcement has already hindered family farmers and ranchers by reducing competition in supply and demand industries.
"Before coronavirus, we already saw declining farm incomes, stagnant wages and increased layoffs for workers, higher grocery prices and fewer choices for consumers, the erosion of rural economic vitality and a less resilient food system overall. Now we're seeing all of that culminate as our food systems implode in the face of a pandemic.
"To prioritize public health and safety during this crisis, our elected officials must immediately halt corporate agricultural mergers for the duration of the crisis, and support a longer-term merger moratorium with legislation like the Food and Agribusiness Merger Moratorium and Antitrust Review Act of 2019, introduced by Sen. Booker and Rep. Pocan."
Food & Water Watch mobilizes regular people to build political power to move bold and uncompromised solutions to the most pressing food, water, and climate problems of our time. We work to protect people's health, communities, and democracy from the growing destructive power of the most powerful economic interests.
(202) 683-2500LATEST NEWS
Once Again, Tom Cotton Blocks Bill to Shield Journalists From Betraying Sources
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Republican U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas on Tuesday again blocked the passage of House-approved bipartisan legislation meant to shield journalists and telecommunications companies from being compelled to disclose sources and other information to federal authorities.
Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) brought the Protect Reporters from Exploitative State Spying (PRESS) Act—which would prohibit the federal government from forcing journalists and telecom companies to disclose certain information, with exceptions for terroristic or violent threats—for a unanimous consent vote.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) argued Tuesday that passing the PRESS Act is "more important now than ever before when we've heard some in the previous administration talk about going after the press in one way or another," a reference to Republican President-elect Donald Trump's threats to jail journalists who refuse to reveal the sources of leaks. Trump, who has referred to the press as the "enemy of the people," repeatedly urged Senate Republicans to "kill this bill."
Cotton, who blocked a vote on the legislation in December 2022, again objected to the bill, a move that thwarted its speedy passage. The Republican called the legislation a "threat to national security" and "the biggest giveaway to the liberal press in American history."
The advocacy group Defending Rights and Dissent lamented that "Congress has abdicated their responsibility to take substantive steps to protect the constitutional right to a free press."
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Trump has picked Harmeet Dhillon as Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights. She has stated that it must be "made unsafe" for hospitals to provide trans care, and frequently shares Libs of TikTok posts. She intends to target trans people in blue states. Subscribe to support my journalism.
[image or embed]
— Erin Reed (@erininthemorning.com) December 10, 2024 at 8:14 AM
Reed continued:
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Reed also highlighted Dhillon's attacks on state laws protecting transgender people, as well as her expression of "extreme anti-trans views" on social media—including calling gender-affirming healthcare for trans children "child abuse."
Last year, The Guardian's Jason Wilson reported that the Center for American Liberty made a six-figure payment to a public relations firm that represented Dhillion in both "her capacity as head of her own for-profit law firm and Republican activist."
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