Congress 107 - HR 1526 - Agriculture Competition Enhancement Act of 2001

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Topics

Administrative procedure Agribusiness Agricultural industries Agricultural prices Agriculture and Food Antitrust law Commerce Competition Congress Congressional investigations Congressional reporting requirements Corporate mergers Department of Agriculture Department of Justice Economic concentration Economic impact statements Economics and Public Finance Executive reorganization Farm income Foreign Trade and International Finance Government attorneys Government Operations and Politics Law Livestock industry Marketing of farm produce Meat packing industry Monopolies Poultry industry Predatory pricing Produce trade Wholesale trade

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Summary

Agriculture Competition Enhancement Act of 2001 - Makes it unlawful for a business purchaser of livestock, poultry, or a basic agricultural commodity for (wholesale) resale, either unprocessed or processed, to acquire the voting assets of any person if: (1) the total amount of such assets or annual sales of each person exceeds specified limits; and (2) such acquisition would reduce competition so as have a negative effect on prices paid to producers.

Requires such a purchaser filing a premerger notice under the Clayton Act to also file with the Secretary of Agriculture. Provides for: (1) public comment; and (2) review by the Secretary respecting such action's anticompetitive effects.

Subjects such actions to specified enforcement provisions of the Clayton Act.

Directs the Attorney General to establish in the Department of Justice an Office of Special Counsel for Agriculture to handle agricultural antitrust issues.

Directs the Comptroller General to conduct a study respecting whether: (1) the Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyard Administration needs additional resources to monitor and investigate the competitive implications of meat packing industry practices; and (2) disparities exist in the Administration's authority respecting the poultry, meat, and pork industries.

Actions

May 15, 2001

Executive Comment Requested from USDA.
Apr 23, 2001

Referred to the Subcommittee on Livestock and Horticulture.
Apr 4, 2001

Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Apr 4, 2001

Introduced in House

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