Sunday, November 09, 2025

US DoJ Probes Meatpackers, Attorney General Says

The U.S. is investigating meatpacking companies, the attorney general said on Friday, after President Donald Trump accused the companies of using price manipulation and collusion to drive up beef prices.

Posted by LampLighter at 06:30 PM | 16 COMMENTS | permalink

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So the story goes: 1-Trump sees high beef prices 2-Decides to quadruple Argentine imports 3-Gets condemned by ranchers saying that's not the problem 4-after being dogwalked, decides to do what the Biden admin was already doing on meatpackers (there's an active lawsuit)

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-- David Dayen (@ddayen.bsky.social) Nov 7, 2025 at 5:02 PM

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More from the article ...

... The probe shows the Trump administration is seeking to tackle high food prices that have outpaced inflation. The Department of Justice is already probing whether egg producers conspired to inflate the price of eggs.

Beef prices set records in 2025 after a years-long drought burned up pasture lands and hiked feeding costs for cattle, forcing ranchers to slash the nation's herd to the smallest level in nearly 75 years. Consumer demand has remained generally strong despite high prices.

"I have asked the DOJ to immediately begin an investigation into the Meat Packing Companies who are driving up the price of Beef through Illicit Collusion, Price Fixing, and Price Manipulation," Trump said in a post on Truth Social, without naming companies.

Ranchers have long complained about consolidation in the packing industry, where Tyson Foods,Cargill, JBS USA and National Beef Packing Company slaughter about 80% of U.S. grain-fattened cattle that are made into steaks, beef roasts and other cuts of meat.

Cargill declined to comment. Spokespeople for the other companies did not immediately respond to requests for comment. ...



#1 | Posted by LampLighter at 2025-11-07 08:56 PM

Is it the meat packers?

Or is it a reduced supply of cattle?

Cattle Inventory Continues Contraction (February 2025)
https://www.fb.org/market-intel/cattle-inventory-continues-contraction

... USDA's January Cattle Inventory report shed some much-needed light on the state of the cattle industry in the United States. ...

According to the report, all cattle and calves in the United States on Jan. 1, 2025, totaled 86.7 million head, down about 1% from 87.2 million in 2024. The inventory, along with nearly all other estimates in the report, fell within the range of analyst estimates. The decrease, while smaller than last year, indicates continued contraction in the U.S. cattle herd.


...



#2 | Posted by LampLighter at 2025-11-07 09:03 PM

------ can't afford his hamberders? ---- that.

#3 | Posted by LegallyYourDead at 2025-11-07 09:43 PM

Maybe that $40 billion would have been better spent on America rather than Javi.

#4 | Posted by ClownShack at 2025-11-07 10:04 PM

Maybe that $40 billion would have been better spent on America rather than Javi.

That $40 billion was needed to prove that Argentina's economic plan is working.

#5 | Posted by REDIAL at 2025-11-07 10:13 PM

@#4 ... Maybe that $40 billion would have been better spent on America rather than Javi. ...

imo, that's a given.

But then, Sec Bessent's buddies would not have been bailed out for their bad "investments."

imo, of course.


#6 | Posted by LampLighter at 2025-11-07 10:27 PM

Trump Treasury Sec Reveals Argentina Bailout Is Actually Twice as Big (October 15, 2025)
finance.yahoo.com

... But there's another notable beneficiary of the Trump admin's Argentina bailout package: major hedge funds led by Bessent's friends.

Several major investment funds, including BlackRock, Fidelity, and Pimco, stand to significantly gain from the aid transfer, as do several independent investors with ties to Bessent, The New York Times reported earlier this month. ...


#7 | Posted by LampLighter at 2025-11-07 10:30 PM

"Or is it a reduced supply of cattle?"

Did Pinche get fired from his job of inseminating the heifers for drinking on the job?

#8 | Posted by snoofy at 2025-11-07 11:37 PM

Didn't Putin's meathole promise to lowers prices on day one?

#9 | Posted by reinheitsgebot at 2025-11-08 12:01 PM

Didn't Putin's meathole promise to lowers prices on day one?

#9 | Posted by reinheitsgebot

As the head of the new conservative org "Not A Promise Keeper."

#10 | Posted by AMERICANUNITY at 2025-11-08 12:07 PM

I guess giving Argentina's beef industry $40 Billion wasn't enough to harm American farmers.

#11 | Posted by snoofy at 2025-11-09 07:10 PM

@#10 ... As the head of the new conservative org "Not A Promise Keeper." ...

According to godaddy.com, I can buy the NotAPromiseKeeper.com for less than $5.


Hmmmm ....

#12 | Posted by LampLighter at 2025-11-09 07:30 PM

Always probe first, before you pack meat.

#13 | Posted by snoofy at 2025-11-09 07:36 PM

From the headline I expected this story to be an immigration crackdown.
Maybe the loss of cheap labor has also led to increased costs at slaughterhouses?

#14 | Posted by MBlue at 2025-11-10 11:54 AM

Following up on the Biden administration probing fudge packers.

#15 | Posted by BellRinger at 2025-11-11 12:24 PM

#15

Sounds like a difficult time for you.

#16 | Posted by ClownShack at 2025-11-11 12:39 PM

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