NASHVILLE, Tenn. (RFD-TV) — U.S. beef markets entered new territory Friday after President Donald Trump directed the Department of Justice to immediately investigate major meat-packing companies for alleged collusion and price manipulation. The order came as retail beef costs sit near record highs and cattle supplies remain among the tightest in decades.
Attorney General Pam Bondi confirmed within minutes that the investigation had officially begun, signaling one of the most aggressive federal antitrust actions targeting the packing sector in years.
The probe focuses on whether dominant processors — which handle roughly 80% of U.S. grain-fed cattle — coordinated to influence wholesale and retail beef prices at a time when ranchers continue to struggle with limited packer capacity and historically low herd numbers.
While the administration argues that illicit pricing practices are inflating beef prices for consumers, packers maintain that drought-driven herd declines, high feed costs, and plant-level labor pressures are responsible for today’s elevated prices. The DOJ is expected to work closely with USDA as subpoenas, document requests, and depositions begin shaping the scope of the case.
For cattle producers, the stakes are significant. Any disruption to packer operations could affect cash bids, basis levels, grid premiums, and overall throughput — particularly as feedyards operate below capacity and seek to stabilize margins. Retailers and food-service buyers are watching closely as well, given that federal intervention in beef pricing may influence flows across both domestic and export channels. A ruling or settlement could set new precedents for oversight of consolidation across livestock markets.
Farm-Level Takeaway: The DOJ’s new antitrust probe could reshape beef-packer behavior, with potential impacts on fed-cattle prices, processor margins, and long-term competition across the supply chain.
Tony St. James, RFD-TV Markets Specialist
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