December 6, 2025
Trump orders probe into meatpackers for price fixing
Big Four control 85% of beef market as prices jump 12%
📈Trade📋Public Policy💰Economy
On Dec. 6, 2025, President Trump issued an executive order directing a sweeping federal inquiry into alleged price-fixing and other anticompetitive conduct across the U.S. food supply chain. The order targeted the Big Four processors. JBS, Cargill, Tyson Foods, and National Beef together dominate approximately 85% of the U.S. beef processing market.
The investigation was actually announced in two phases. On Nov. 7, 2025, the Trump administration announced it would launch an investigation with Attorney General 
Pam Bondi posting that a Justice Department investigation was underway. The formal executive order came nearly a month later on Dec. 6.
The formal executive order directs DOJ and FTC to form task forces investigating alleged price-fixing and foreign influence in the U.S. food supply chain. The task forces focus on meat processing, seeds, fertilizer, and agricultural equipment. The order gives the agencies 90 days to report findings and recommendations.
The executive order empowers the DOJ and the FTC to bring enforcement actions against companies and propose new regulatory approaches. The Office of the Attorney General can also commence criminal proceedings, including grand jury investigations, upon evidence of collusion. Criminal antitrust violations can result in prison time for executives.
The price of all uncooked ground beef rose to $6.64 per pound in Sep. 2025, a 12.3-percent increase from a year ago. Uncooked beef steaks reached $12.26 per pound, up 12.7 percent from a year ago. Cattle ranchers say they're getting squeezed as beef prices rise but the payments they receive for cattle remain flat.
Critics note the DOJ shuttered an earlier antitrust probe of meatpackers before Trump's investigation demand. The Biden administration DOJ had been investigating the Big Four for years but closed the probe in 2024 without bringing charges. Farm advocacy groups say the new investigation could be performative without real enforcement.
Three of the Big Four processors have foreign ties. JBS is owned by a Brazilian company. National Beef is majority-owned by a Brazilian company. Cargill is American but operates globally. The executive order specifically mentions foreign influence as a concern in the food supply chain.
📈Trade📋Public Policy💰Economy
Test Your Knowledge
10
Q1
What specific conduct does the executive order target?
Q2
The meatpacking industry has become highly concentrated among a few large companies.
Q3
Which agencies did Trump direct to investigate meatpackers?
Q4
An executive order investigation can lead to antitrust enforcement actions like lawsuits or consent decrees.
Q5
The concentration of meatpacking accelerated after mergers in the 1980s and 1990s.
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Start QuizPeople, bills, and sources
Donald Trump
President of the United States
Pam Bondi
Attorney General
Gail Slater
Assistant Attorney General for Antitrust Division
Brooke Rollins
Agriculture Secretary
Andrew Ferguson
FTC Chair
Wesley Batista (JBS)
CEO of JBS (Brazilian-owned, world's largest meat processor)
Donnie King
CEO of Tyson Foods
David MacLennan
CEO of Cargill
What you can do
1
civic action
Submit comments to DOJ and FTC task forces on food industry competition
Task forces will likely seek public input before recommending legislative actions. Provide evidence of price increases, reduced rancher payments, or market concentration impacts
[email protected]
I'm writing to provide information for the Food Supply Chain Security Task Force investigation.\n\nKey points to include:\n- Document specific price increases for beef, pork, or chicken with dates and amounts\n- Describe impacts on local ranchers or farmers if you know any\n- Provide evidence of market concentration or limited buyer options\n- Explain how price increases affect your household food budget\n\nSpecific request: Use this information in your investigation and congressional briefings to recommend stronger antitrust enforcement and limits on foreign ownership of U.S. food infrastructure.\n\nThank you for investigating anti-competitive practices in our food supply.
2
civic action
Contact representatives about Packers and Stockyards Act enforcement funding
USDA needs resources to enforce competition laws in meatpacking. Demand Congress appropriate adequate funding for agricultural antitrust enforcement
Hi, I'm calling to demand Congress fund stronger enforcement of the Packers and Stockyards Act.\n\nKey points:\n- The Big Four meatpackers control 85% of beef processing\n- Ranchers receive lower prices while consumers pay more\n- USDA needs resources to investigate anti-competitive practices\n- Foreign-owned companies control critical U.S. food infrastructure\n\nQuestions:\n- Will my representative support increased USDA enforcement funding?\n- Will they co-sponsor legislation limiting foreign ownership of U.S. food companies?\n\nRequest: Appropriate adequate funds for USDA and DOJ to investigate meatpacking consolidation and consider legislation restricting foreign control of critical food infrastructure.\n\nThank you.
3
civic action
Report suspected price-fixing or collusion to DOJ Antitrust Whistleblower Program
DOJ launched whistleblower rewards in Jul. 2025. Industry insiders with evidence of collusion, information sharing, or price manipulation can report confidentially
I have information about potential anti-competitive practices in the food industry.\n\nInformation to provide:\n- Specific companies or individuals involved\n- Evidence of price-fixing agreements or communications\n- Information sharing through trade associations or data aggregators\n- Use of joint pricing tools or algorithms\n- Dates, amounts, and documentation if available\n\nWhistleblower protections: DOJ provides confidential reporting and potential monetary rewards for information leading to successful enforcement actions.\n\nPlease investigate this matter and protect my identity as a whistleblower.