A coalition of over 200 farm, food and rural groups are endorsing companion measures introduced in the House and Senate to place an 18-month moratorium on agribusiness mergers. Farmers Union is one of four Nebraska organizations involved in the coalition. President John Hansen says with the recent mega ag mergers farm markets are shrinking and competition is being lost.

He says there needs to be more Congressional review of these deals.

Hansen says the free market system is being destroyed by the increasing numbers of large agricultural mergers.

Hansen says the coalition’s concerns are that major seed, fertilizer, food processing and grocery chains have merged to form some of the biggest food and agribusiness companies of all time. He says those deals are threatening independent family farmers, consumers and communities and this legislation would put a halt to that.