Concentration Requirements Unfair, Unjustified

May 18, 2001

Efforts to place unique requirements on the agriculture industry are unfair and unjustified, according to Mark Dopp, senior vice president of regulatory affairs and general counsel for the American Meat Institute. Dopp testified before Senate Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee.

Dopp said some proposed actions such as allowing USDA to oppose Justice Department pre-merger review options and imposing new requirements for contracts between farms and agribusiness may actually hurt those they were intended to help.

Attempts to limit or control agriculture consolidation may unintentionally drive the cost of meat products up, excluding the industry from the international market in which it is trying to compete, Dopp noted.