Dive Summary:
- Complaints filed in Idaho and Kansas on behalf of consumers and the Associated Wholesale Grocers (AWG) accuse the the United Potato Growers of America (UPGA) of working toartificallyinflate potato prices in the U.S.
- TheAWGwent as far as to refer to theUPGA, which consists of farmers responsible for about 80% of the U.S. potato crop by acreage, as the "OPEC of Potatoes."
- TheUPGA. meanwhile, argues that its farmers are exempt from certain antitrust rules, citing the 1922Capper-VolsteadAct.
From the article:
"... USDA data show that American potato production dropped 6.6 percent, and prices rose 63 percent, between 2004 and 2011, which pushed the total value of the U.S. potato crop above $3 billion for the first time in history. ..."
