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n July, U.S. District Judge Thomas Durkin dismissed claims against AgriStats, Inc. in the Broiler Chicken Antitrust lawsuit. Subsequently in September, the Department of Justice filed a complaint against the company alleging anticompetitive exchange of information through “distribution of competitively sensitive information relating to price, cost and output among broiler, pork and turkey integrators to the detriment of customers and consumers”.
On October 6th AgriStats filed a motion to have all documentation submitted in the civil action sealed since release of confidential information could be prejudicial to subscribers. AgriStats pointed to the disclosure of some information in the complaint filed with the Federal Court as justifying the need to impose a seal to maintain confidentiality.
The motion was opposed by the DOJ. On review the Court declined to impose a seal citing the Amended Antitrust Civil Process Act allowing the DOJ to release materials.