Trump orders investigation into meatpacking plants, and White House cites Brazilians

We will always protect our American ranchers, and they are being blamed for what is being done by foreign majority-owned meatpacking plants, which are artificially inflating prices and putting the security of our national food supply at risk. Action must be taken immediately to protect consumers, combat illegal monopolies, and ensure that these corporations are not criminally profiting at the expense of the American people.
donald trump

After the post, the White House released a text mentioning four meatpacking companies, including the Brazilian JBS and National Beef, purchased by the Brazilian Marfri. According to the American government, JBS, Cargill, Tyson Foods and National Beef dominate 85% of the beef processing market in the USA.

Sector consolidation has crushed competition, says US government. Also according to the statement, in the 1980s, the four slaughterhouses purchased a third of all cattle for slaughter; in the mid-1990s this share soared to over 80% and has only become more concentrated since then.

Last month, Trump had urged North American livestock farmers to reduce meat prices. “Cattle farmers need to reduce prices because the consumer is also a very important factor in my opinion,” the Republican also said in a post on social media.

Rising meat prices have bothered North American consumers and generated criticism of Trump’s economic policy. Prices rose especially after the tariff imposed by the government on foreign products, such as the 50% tax imposed on Brazilian meat entering the USA.

Trump, however, denies that tariffs have an impact on prices and claims that livestock farmers have made more profits under his administration. “The ranchers, who I love, don’t understand that the only reason they are doing so well for the first time in decades is because I have imposed tariffs on cattle (meat) coming into the United States, including a 50% tariff on Brazil,” he said last month.