Maryland has joined nine other states, the District of Columbia and the Federal Trade Commission in opposing a merger of the country's two largest food distribution companies on grounds that the union would create a near-monopoly in this region and potentially raise prices for consumers. The state became a party to the FTC's suit in U.S. District Court in Washington to stop the $8.2 billion merger between Sysco Corp. and US Foods Inc., first announced in December 2013.