Tyson Foods refusing to comply with subpoena for meat price gouging probe, NY attorney general says

NEW YORK, Aug 3 (Reuters) – Tyson Meals Inc (TSN.N), one particular of the biggest U.S. meat producers, is refusing to comply with a subpoena for a civil probe into attainable rate gouging in the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, New York’s lawyer typical explained on Wednesday.

Letitia James, the lawyer common, requested a point out choose in Manhattan to need Tyson to switch about supplies like contractual phrases, rates, and revenue margins for its profits of meat to New York vendors from December 2019 to April 2022.

James claimed Tyson stopped complying immediately after supplying “limited” info, based mostly on the Springdale, Arkansas-centered company’s “novel and unfounded argument” that New York’s cost gouging regulation did not use to meat imported from outdoors the condition.

That argument “can be examined only by inspecting the incredibly materials that Tyson now refuses to deliver,” James reported in a courtroom filing.

Tyson declined to remark. It has said it has elevated meat selling prices to offset soaring expenses for labor and livestock feed.

According to court papers, Tyson has about 1-fifth of the U.S. market for fresh new and frozen hen, beef and pork.

James’ office environment experienced no rapid additional remark about her probe.

In March, James launched a rulemaking procedure to crack down on value gouging, examining regardless of whether massive providers were being making use of the pandemic and mounting inflation as an justification to stick shoppers with bigger selling prices on essential items.

She claimed her place of work has during the pandemic gained hundreds of problems about meat cost gouging, bolstered by media reviews that regular price ranges rose 20.9% for beef, 16.8% for pork and 9.2% for hen from November 2020 to November 2021.

James mentioned New York regulation bans “unconscionably extreme” costs and offers her power to impose civil fines on sellers that charge them on important merchandise through market place disruptions.

In January, President Joe Biden introduced a prepare to support unbiased meat processors and ranchers to deal with a absence of “meaningful competitors” in their sectors. browse far more

(This tale corrects headline)

Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York Additional reporting by Tom Polansek in Chicago Editing by Lisa Shumaker

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