A North Carolina official says the country’s major meat producers had been using a hidden system to illegally drive up prices on chicken, pork, and turkey products purchased by millions of Americans over several years. In a video shared on X on Thursday, Attorney General Jeff Jackson alleged that these meat producers regularly sent private pricing, production, and supply information to a company called Agri Stats.
He said the company then compiled reports that showed producers how their prices ranked against competitors and identified areas where they could charge more.
Jackson claimed the information was not publicly available, meaning companies that were expected to compete against one another were instead able to see sensitive industry data. He said the practice impacted roughly 90% of chicken production, 90% of turkey production, and 80% of pork production.
“Whether you were buying at a grocery store or at a restaurant, it was almost all downstream of this – a scheme to make you pay more,” he said.
According to Jackson, the practice has now been shut down after attorneys general from multiple states worked alongside the U.S. Department of Justice to challenge it. He said a court order was secured to stop the information-sharing system from ever happening again and that an independent monitor will oversee compliance.
Netizens’ Reaction to the Alleged Meat Pricing Scheme
On X, many people commended the North Carolina attorney general for his efforts to stop the practice. “Great Job. It’s nice to know someone is doing something for us!” one person wrote. “Thanks for protecting us… This is why we have regulations. Our industries are incapable of doing it themselves,” another said. “Outstanding outcome for consumers – well done!” added a third.
Meanwhile, some argued the shared data may have had the opposite effect, with one netizen writing, “Or it was used to negotiate better acquisition cost with the suppliers that were higher. It could have an inverse effect to lower prices.”
A few also wondered which producers were involved in the scheme. “This is great but I have a question, why didn’t you name the meat producers that were working this scam?” one comment asked.
Although Jackson did not name specific producers in the video, he said each company would be subject to separate class action lawsuits over the alleged overcharges.
