Dates Set to Explore Competition and Regulatory Issues in Ag

The Department of Justice and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the dates and locations of joint public workshops that will explore competition and regulatory issues in the agriculture industry. The workshops are the first joint Department of Justice/USDA workshops ever to be held to discuss competition and regulatory issues in the agriculture industry. The current schedule for the workshops is as follows:

• March 12, 2010 - Issues of Concern to Farmers - Ankeny, Iowa
• May 21, 2010 - Poultry Industry - Normal, Ala.
• June 7, 2010 - Dairy Industry - Madison, Wisc.
• Aug. 26, 2010 - Livestock Industry - Fort Collins, Colo.
• Dec. 8, 2010 - Margins - Washington, D.C.

The Department of Justice and USDA are also asking for comments in advance of the workshops. Interested parties should submit written comments to the Department of Justice no later than Dec. 31, 2009. Details needed to submit comments are located in the Federal Register at http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/E9-20671.htm.