On August 23, 2022 The Daily Yonder published the article: ‘Big Chicken’ Merger Moves ahead Despite Investigations by the Biden Administration. The article notes that “Two of the largest poultry processing companies in the country, Wayne Farms and Sanderson Farms, will soon be merged to create one corporation amid a DOJ antitrust lawsuit against the companies. One expert fears the lawsuit won’t do enough to stop the merger from overpowering the chicken industry.” In quoting AAI’s Diana Moss, the article states:
“One antitrust expert isn’t convinced the lawsuit does enough to prevent the new Wayne-Sanderson Farms merger from exercising undue control over the poultry industry.
‘The American Antitrust Institute is concerned that any increases in concentration resulting from the [merger] may increase incentives for collusion in both input and output markets,’ wrote Diana Moss, president of the American Antitrust Institute, in an email to the Daily Yonder.
The American Antitrust Institute is looking into whether the lawsuit settlement agreement adequately polices the enhanced market power the new Wayne-Sanderson Farms will have in the poultry industry.”
