Overview
- Attorney General Pam Bondi said the investigation is underway, led by Antitrust chief Abigail Slater in coordination with Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins.
- Trump accused majority foreign‑owned processors of inflating prices and threatening food security, though he offered no evidence for the claims.
- The Meat Institute said packers are not to blame and have operated at a loss due to tight cattle supplies and strong demand, calling for a fact‑based review.
- Analysts highlight structural pressures driving record beef costs, including the smallest U.S. herd in decades, tariffs limiting imports and processing and labor constraints.
- Markets reacted to the announcement, with JBS shares falling about 6% at their lows, as the move followed backlash to a recent plan to boost low‑tariff Argentine beef imports.