Agricultural Policy, Market Concentration, and Antitrust with Austin Frerick

Wed, Apr 29, 2026 | 2:00 pm EDT

On Wednesday, April 29 at 2:00 p.m. ET, The Capitol Forum will host a conference call with agricultural policy expert and researcher Austin Frerick. This discussion will examine key developments in agricultural markets and antitrust policy, including structural reform proposals and recent consolidation trends in food distribution. Drawing on his research and policy experience, Frerick will provide insight into how market concentration is shaping outcomes across the food system and what policymakers and industry participants should be watching.

For assistance, contact: events@tcfpress.com.

We will also touch on topics such as:

• The proposed structural separations in the Family Grocery and Farmer Relief Act
• Competitive and policy implications of the Sysco/Restaurant Depot transaction
• State-level agricultural policy dynamics and emerging regulatory trends
• Broader themes around consolidation, market power, and antitrust enforcement in the food sector

We hope you can join us for what promises to be a timely and forward-looking conversation.

Guest Bio:
Austin Frerick is an expert on agricultural and antitrust policy and the author of Barons: Money, Power, and the Corruption of America’s Food Industry. His work examines the concentration of power across the global food system and its implications for competition, policy, and market structure. The book has received widespread acclaim, including starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and Kirkus Reviews, and has been recognized as one of the “Best Books of 2024.”

Frerick has organized major policy forums on agricultural competition, including conferences at Yale Law School in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. He has advised presidential campaigns on agricultural policy and previously held roles at the Open Markets Institute, the U.S. Department of the Treasury, and the Congressional Research Service. He is a Fellow at Yale University and serves in leadership roles with several organizations focused on agricultural policy and rural economic issues.

Speakers:

Austin Frerick

Expert on agricultural and antitrust policy and the author of Barons: Money, Power, and the Corruption of America’s Food Industry.

Teddy Downey

Executive Editor at The Capitol Forum

Reserve your spot today!