Small business owners and independent entrepreneurs understand market realities that don’t always show up in economic data. They experience firsthand how dominant firms use their power to squeeze suppliers, undercut competitors, and capture regulatory processes.
That’s why two Federal Trade Commission (FTC) leaders joined ILSR and members of the Small Business Rising coalition to discuss the critical role of antitrust policy in supporting independent businesses and local economies. Commissioners Alvaro Bedoya and Rebecca Kelly Slaughter met with members of the North American Marine Alliance (NAMA) and Cambridge Local First (CLF), small business owners who brought their frontline experiences to the virtual meetings and highlighted how monopoly power threatens the backbone of America’s economy.
Despite the unprecedented firing of Commissioners Bedoya and Slaughter by the Trump Administration, they are continuing to carry forward their work at the FTC, including meeting with key stakeholders like NAMA and CFL, while contesting their dismissal in court. The two roundtables represented exactly the kind of dialogue needed to ground antitrust policy in real-world impacts.
Voices from the Fishing Communities and Main Street
The North American Marine Alliance (NAMA) — representing 200+ seafood businesses across North America — is working to build healthy fisheries and fishing communities. They are also leading advocates in the fight against the corporate takeover of ocean resources. For the roundtable, NAMA brought together eight fisheries from multiple coastal areas to talk with Bedoya and Slaughter about Catch Share policies, which essentially lease fishing rights to the highest bidder — increasingly large, consolidated corporations.
Meanwhile, Cambridge Local First, an alliance of 450+ locally owned businesses based in Cambridge, Mass., gathered members representing independent retail stores, restaurants, and service providers, including childcare centers. The business owners discussed with the Commissioners the burden of excessive credit card swipe fees, as well as unfair discounts for big-box competitors, known as price discrimination.
Both organizations represent businesses and communities that have experienced the squeeze of corporate consolidation.
Building the Movement to Rein in Monopoly Power
The roundtables exemplify the kind of coalition-building and grassroots-to-policy connection that is essential for effective antitrust enforcement. While the political landscape around antitrust enforcement continues to evolve, the fundamental need to rein in monopoly power remains constant. The perspectives that NAMA and CLF brought to the FTC roundtables — grounded in impact and the voices of business leaders — must continue to inform federal enforcement priorities. ILSR will keep fighting alongside Small Business Rising coalition members, like NAMA and CLF, to ensure that antitrust policy serves the interests of independent businesses and local communities, not just the bottom lines of corporate giants.
Katy Milani and Lauren Gellatly“Small businesses experience firsthand how dominant firms use their power to squeeze suppliers, undercut competitors, and capture regulatory processes.”
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