Senator Melissa Hurtado Issues Statement on Federal Action to Combat Rigged Food Markets That Drive Up Prices…

Bakersfield, Calif. (May 8, 2026)–Senator Melissa Hurtado (D-Bakersfield) issued the following statement regarding yesterday’s action by the U.S. Department of Justice to crack down on market manipulation and anti-competitive behavior in the meat market:

“This federal crackdown is further confirmation that our economic markets in food, energy, water and other basic resources are being manipulated by large companies and resulting in higher prices for consumers,” Senator Hurtado said. “With the use of data and advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, the average family is at the whim of forces we can’t see – but we notice every day in our pocketbooks. I urge California policymakers to take a closer look at these hidden economic forces so we can protect working class families from rigged markets and high prices.”

On Thursday, the United States Justice Department filed a proposed settlement in a case against Agri Stats Inc., a data sharing and consulting company that works in the chicken market. In the Department of Justice complaint, it alleged that the company collected internal market information on multiple meat processors’ prices, output and costs and shared it back to the processors. The agency alleges that this practice reduced competition and enabled price increases and coordinated decisions by the meat producers. 

In the Legislature, Senator Hurtado has led efforts to address both traditional and modern forms of market manipulation. She authored – and the Governor signed – Senate Bill 763, which increased the financial penalties to up to $6 million for corporate violators of California’s anti-trust laws. Senator Hurtado has also authored Senate Bill 295, the California Fair Pricing Act, to prevent the use of pricing algorithms that rely on competitor data to coordinate prices.

Senator Melissa Hurtado is Chair of Senate Budget Subcommittee #4 on State Administration and General Government and currently represents the 16th Senate District in the California Legislature, which includes portions of Fresno, Tulare, Kings and Kern Counties.

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