US Agriculture Department to Target High Food Costs, Increase Competition

2023-07-20

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  • The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) says it aims to lower food prices and increase competition among agricultural businesses.
  • 2
  • The department plans to work with 31 states and the District of Colombia to target unfair price-setting activities.
  • 3
  • It also plans to act against anticompetitive behavior in the food and agriculture sectors.
  • 4
  • On Wednesday, the USDA said it would work with a group of attorneys from both political parties.
  • 5
  • It aims to enforce laws on price fixing and the consolidation of businesses.
  • 6
  • The government says farmers have been unhappy about low prices for their products and unfair contracts with the biggest buyers and processors in the agriculture industry.
  • 7
  • Months of rising food prices have some farm groups and lawmakers wondering if companies were unfairly raising prices.
  • 8
  • Recent reports, however, show that food prices are easing.
  • 9
  • In a statement, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said: "We can ensure a more robust and competitive agricultural sector."
  • 10
  • The partnership will bring attention to anticompetitive activities including price fixing and gouging.
  • 11
  • Price gouging happens when a seller demands unfairly high prices from buyers during periods of increased demand.
  • 12
  • The department also said it wants to create new research programs to study the problem.
  • 13
  • In the coming months, USDA will also complete new rules under the Packers and Stockyards Act.
  • 14
  • A top administration official spoke about the changes in a call with reporters.
  • 15
  • The Packers and Stockyards Act is a law meant to protect members of the livestock, meat and poultry industries from unfair trade and businesses that have too much influence over markets known as monopolies.
  • 16
  • The USDA says it has already proposed two of the three expected rules.
  • 17
  • The department will also give money to expand the meat and poultry industries.
  • 18
  • The goal is to increase the number of processing choices available to farmers who raise animals.
  • 19
  • Vilsack said the new effort is linked to President Joe Biden's executive order this month supporting competition in the American economy.
  • 20
  • The order calls for a "whole-of-government" competition policy.
  • 21
  • I'm Gregory Stachel.
  • 1
  • The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) says it aims to lower food prices and increase competition among agricultural businesses.
  • 2
  • The department plans to work with 31 states and the District of Colombia to target unfair price-setting activities. It also plans to act against anticompetitive behavior in the food and agriculture sectors.
  • 3
  • On Wednesday, the USDA said it would work with a group of attorneys from both political parties. It aims to enforce laws on price fixing and the consolidation of businesses.
  • 4
  • The government says farmers have been unhappy about low prices for their products and unfair contracts with the biggest buyers and processors in the agriculture industry.
  • 5
  • Months of rising food prices have some farm groups and lawmakers wondering if companies were unfairly raising prices. Recent reports, however, show that food prices are easing.
  • 6
  • In a statement, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said: "We can ensure a more robust and competitive agricultural sector."
  • 7
  • The partnership will bring attention to anticompetitive activities including price fixing and gouging. Price gouging happens when a seller demands unfairly high prices from buyers during periods of increased demand.
  • 8
  • The department also said it wants to create new research programs to study the problem.
  • 9
  • In the coming months, USDA will also complete new rules under the Packers and Stockyards Act. A top administration official spoke about the changes in a call with reporters. The Packers and Stockyards Act is a law meant to protect members of the livestock, meat and poultry industries from unfair trade and businesses that have too much influence over markets known as monopolies.
  • 10
  • The USDA says it has already proposed two of the three expected rules.
  • 11
  • The department will also give money to expand the meat and poultry industries. The goal is to increase the number of processing choices available to farmers who raise animals.
  • 12
  • Vilsack said the new effort is linked to President Joe Biden's executive order this month supporting competition in the American economy. The order calls for a "whole-of-government" competition policy.
  • 13
  • I'm Gregory Stachel.
  • 14
  • Leah Douglas reported this story for Reuters. Gregory Stachel adapted it with additional materials for VOA Learning English.
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  • Words in This Story
  • 17
  • sector - n. an area of an economy
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  • attorney - n. lawyer
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  • consolidate - v. to join or combine together into one thing
  • 20
  • artificially - adj. not happening or existing naturally
  • 21
  • robust - adj. strong and healthy
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