One week after Thanksgiving in 2022, South Dakota experienced a fierce snowstorm typical for this region. The roads were hazardous, and it wouldn’t have been surprising if visitors from Washington, D.C., chose to change their plans.
He did not.
Alvaro Bedoya, who was the newest commissioner of the Federal Trade Commission at that time, did not just fulfill his appointment. During his visit to an independent grocery store in Pine Ridge, South Dakota, he extended his stay beyond what he had initially agreed upon. He respectfully listened as community members voiced their concerns, which reached well beyond governmental responsibilities, and took notes promising to follow up.
I was disappointed when he took action upon his return to our nation’s capital.
A few weeks ago, Bedoya filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration. President Trump dismissed Bedoya and another Democratic FTC Secretary, Rebecca, breaking a long-held tradition of not terminating political appointees of independent agencies without cause.
From my understanding and experiences, Bedoya did not fit into any of those categories.
President Trumphad promised to reduce grocery prices during his campaign; however, he contradicted that promise by ousting one of the key advocates for rural grocery stores and antitrust enforcement who could have supported him in keeping his promise.
Bedoya’s tour aimed to leverage purchasing power to pressure independent stores, showcasing the effects that grocery chains have across the country. The major players compel suppliers to unrealistic levels, forcing the rest of us to pay inflated prices to compensate.
My family has been involved in the grocery sector for 120 years, making it challenging to compete in an arena dominated by the largest players annually.
My clients on the Pine Ridge reservationsare among the most impoverished in the nation. Access to food and the issue of hunger are so prevalent in my community that I establishedTeam Bush Cares, a nonprofit focused on feeding those in need, as food banks and charities cannot meet the demand alone.
Some customers do not even own a vehicle, relying on others to transport them to our store. Consequently, they cannot afford to pay 20, 30, or even 50% more than larger stores that are too far away.
The Robinson Patman Act prohibits this kind of price discrimination, ensuring that stores of all sizes can access comparable prices when purchasing identical products in equivalent quantities.
Bedoya and the committee collaborated with then-chairwoman Lina Khan months ago to endorse the first Robinson Patman Antimonopoly Act in over 40 years, accusing suppliers and intermediaries of yielding to the demands of larger clients and charging smaller ones more for lacking similar market power.
Bedoya recognized the issue as he witnessed it firsthand, articulating it in an opinion piece in January, stating “I work for the FTC, and I know what undermines local grocery stores.” He referenced me by name and mentioned the Pine Ridge store visit from December 2022.
Now that he’s no longer with the FTC, I wonder who will advocate for his clients in Washington? Who will defend the independent grocery stores? Who will fulfill their promises and assist Americans struggling to afford food for their families?
Regrettably, it appears that no one in the White House has pondered these questions recently, but I hope they will.
I do not have a preference for which president or party governs. I recognize the necessity to reduce government expenditure, but I must respectfully submit that the person in charge should recognize that they must not cut essential services.
RF Buche is a fourth-generation grocery store owner in South Dakota and president of GF Buche Co.
