The White House has directed the Department of Justice to launch an investigation into the nation’s major meatpacking companies. The administration alleges these firms are engaging in collusion and price manipulation, artificially inflating the cost of beef for American consumers.
In a public statement, the President asserted that the primary beneficiaries of these high prices are large, foreign-owned packing corporations, not domestic ranchers. The administration framed the issue as a matter of economic security and consumer protection, calling for immediate action to combat illegal monopolistic practices.
No specific evidence was presented alongside the allegations. The directive follows recent electoral contests where economic pressures, including the cost of living, were central issues.
This move continues a pattern of executive focus on food affordability. The previous administration had also prioritized the issue, engaging with agricultural producers and pledging to enforce fair competition laws to address price concerns within the food supply chain.
Industry analysts note that beef prices have been influenced by multiple factors in recent years, including severe drought conditions that reduced herd sizes and trade policies affecting imports. The call for an investigation places renewed scrutiny on the structure and practices of the meat processing sector.