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. ...

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.

...

@#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.