Washington, D.C. — In response to a new package of initiatives announced by the U.S. Department of Agriculture today designed to promote competition — including a rule requiring enhanced transparency from contractors, a new Chief Competition Officer position, and domestic origin requirements for food assistance programs — the American Economic Liberties Project released the following statement. The rule is the first in a series of forthcoming rules under the Packers and Stockyards Act.

“We’re thrilled to see that the USDA is taking competition policy seriously and working to fulfill the President’s executive order to promote stronger enforcement,” said Erik Peinert, Research Manager and Editor at the American Economic Liberties Project. “The poultry industry is riddled with consolidated corporations taking advantage of small and midsized chicken growers across the country. While long overdue, the agency’s new Chief Competition Officer position, its new rule to bring transparency to exploitative contracting processes, and additional steps to bolster enforcement of domestic origin requirements for food assistance programs are key steps toward unravelling the industry’s consolidation. We hope to see the agency strongly enforce this new rule, and implement other necessary rules to reinvigorate the Packers and Stockyards Act and promote a competitive food system.”

Learn more about Economic Liberties here.

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The American Economic Liberties Project works to ensure America’s system of commerce is structured to advance, rather than undermine, economic liberty, fair commerce, and a secure, inclusive democracy. Economic Liberties believes true economic liberty means entrepreneurs and businesses large and small succeed on the merits of their ideas and hard work; commerce empowers consumers, workers, farmers, and engineers instead of subjecting them to discrimination and abuse from financiers and monopolists; foreign trade arrangements support domestic security and democracy; and wealth is broadly distributed to support equitable political power.