On Friday, President Trump ordered the Justice Department to launch an investigation into the meatpacking industry, alleging corporations are “driving up the price of Beef through Illicit Collusion, Price Fixing, and Price Manipulation.” This comes three months after Trump rescinded a Biden Administration Executive Order meant to tackle these exact meatpacker abuses.

Food & Water Watch analysis finds that just four companies control 80% of the meatpacking industry.

Food & Water Watch Legal Director Tarah Heinzen issued the following statement:

“Food monopolies are at the heart of skyrocketing food prices in America. But under President Trump, these big businesses stand to benefit more than ever. Trump’s tariff tantrum and deregulatory agenda are hitting farmers and consumers hard, while enormous multinational corporations profit.

“Farmers and consumers need real action to bring down prices and protect producers — not performative announcements. If Trump is serious about investigating beef packers, his USDA must also vigorously defend the prior administration’s Packers and Stockyards Act rules.”

For decades, Big Ag corporations have leveraged illegal practices to control livestock markets, squeeze producers and gouge consumers. Food & Water Watch has filed a motion to intervene in a federal lawsuit on behalf of family farmers and ranchers to defend USDA rules designed to safeguard farmers and ranchers from meatpacker discrimination, retaliation, and deception under the Packers & Stockyards Act.

Food & Water Watch research into the Economic Cost of Food Monopolies in the retail grocery, pork, dairy and egg industries finds increased consolidation results in high consumer prices and low farmer profits.