Soy group argues for competition

The American Soybean Association has submitted initial comments to the U.S. Department of Justice as the government considers competition issues in agriculture. The association said it believes the U.S. Department of Agriculture should be more involved in providing recommendations to the justice department on agribusiness mergers and acquisitions.
In its comments, ASA said four principles should guide competition in the agricultural sector:
*Competition within and among domestic industries must be safeguarded.
*Innovation should be supported, which includes the protection of patent rights.
*Competition from generics should lead to lower prices after patents expire.
*The same requirements and expenses for accessing intellectual property should apply to foreign and U.S. companies.
The American Soybean Association plans to provide more detailed comments at a public hearing on competition issues scheduled for March 12 in Des Moines, Iowa. The hearing will be hosted by the Department of Justice and USDA.