The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Department of Justice have scheduled the last of five competition workshops for Dec. 8, Washington, DC.

The workshop will examine the issue of margins at various levels of the agricultural supply chain. The workshop will be held in the Jefferson Auditorium at USDA, which is accessible through a designated entrance on Independence Avenue between 12th and 14th Streets, S.W.

The fifth workshop is designed to promote dialogue and foster learning with regards to competition and regulatory issues in agriculture.

The workshops are the first joint Department of Justice/USDA workshops ever to be held to discuss competition and regulatory issues in the agriculture industry.

The general public and media interested in attending the Washington workshop should register at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/marginsworkshop.

Opening remarks will be delivered by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder and Assistant Attorney General for the Antitrust Division Christine Varney. Panels will discuss supply chain dynamics, food retailing and margins in the beef, pork, poultry and dairy industries. Each panel will feature producers and industry representatives and academics with research expertise in related fields.

There will also be time for public testimony.

For further information, including submitted public comments, transcripts and videos for past workshops, please visit the Antitrust Division’s agriculture workshop Web site at www.justice.gov/atr/public/workshops/ag2010/index.htm or contact [email protected].