Competition Corner

AAG Blizzard’s announcement marks the latest in a trend of increasing focus and scrutiny from state-level antitrust enforcement agencies. This change suggests that many states are standing ready to address antitrust enforcement if federal enforcement, which has been reinvigorated under the Biden administration, is weakened.  

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the attorneys general of 31 states and the District of Columbia launched an “Agricultural Competition Partnership” on July 19, 2023, to “enhance competition and protect consumers in food and agricultural markets.” This partnership between USDA and a bipartisan group of states is dedicated to helping states identify and respond to anticompetitive and anti-consumer behavior in food and agricultural markets, including in grocery, meat and poultry processing, and other sectors.