On December 6, 2025, President Donald Trump signed an executive order launching a sweeping federal investigation into the U.S. food supply chain, targeting anti-competitive behavior, price fixing, and the influence of foreign ownership on food prices. As Americans face grocery bills that have climbed 32% higher on average than in 2019, according to the Urban Institute, the administration’s move signals a forceful response to mounting consumer frustration and political pressure over the cost of living.
Under the executive order, the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) will each establish a Food Supply Chain Security Task Force. These task forces are charged with investigating whether companies—especially those controlled by foreign entities—are engaging in practices that drive up food costs or threaten national and economic security. If evidence of criminal collusion emerges, the order authorizes the attorney general to initiate criminal proceedings, including grand jury investigations. The agencies must report their findings to Congress within 180 days and again within a year, though sensitive investigative details will remain confidential.
"An affordable and secure food supply is vital to America's national and economic security. However, anti-competitive behavior, especially when carried out by foreign-controlled corporations, threatens the stability and affordability of America's food supply," the executive order declared, as reported by DTN. The order specifically referenced recent civil suits in which companies in the American food supply chain settled accusations of price fixing for tens of millions of dollars. It also highlighted vulnerabilities in sectors beyond meat processing, including seed, fertilizer, and equipment companies.
The Trump administration’s renewed scrutiny of the food industry comes on the heels of a prior investigation. In 2020, the DOJ examined beef packer concentration but ultimately filed no charges. More recently, on November 7, 2025, Trump took to social media to call for an immediate DOJ probe into beef packers, focusing on what he described as "illicit Collusion, Price Fixing, and Price Manipulation," particularly by foreign-owned firms. In his post, Trump insisted, "We will always protect our American Ranchers, and they are being blamed for what is being done by Majority Foreign Owned packers, who artificially inflate prices, and jeopardize the security of our Nation's food supply. Action must be taken immediately to protect Consumers, combat illegal Monopolies, and ensure these Corporations are not criminally profiting at the expense of the American People."
Support for the investigation has come swiftly from Attorney General Pam Bondi and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, both of whom have publicly backed the administration’s efforts. Rollins, along with White House trade advisor Peter Navarro and Homeland Security Advisor Stephen Miller, has met with Trump in recent weeks to discuss the persistent rise in U.S. beef prices, according to the Wall Street Journal.
For ranchers on the ground, the administration’s focus is long overdue. In Texas cattle country, Cole Bolton, owner of K&C Cattle Company, expressed his support for the probe to Fox News Digital. “What the real issue is, is the price differential between the big four packers and what they're paying us for the product,” Bolton said, referencing Tyson, JBS, Cargill, and National Beef—companies that collectively process about 85% of grain-fattened cattle in the U.S. and wield significant pricing power. “Ranchers have dealt with such thin margins of profitability for the last 20 years.”
Federal officials have pointed to these razor-thin margins as a sign of deeper issues within the supply chain. Beef prices, meanwhile, have soared to record highs. According to USDA data, the average price of beef in grocery stores jumped from approximately $8.40 per pound in March 2025 to $9.18 per pound by August—a roughly 9% increase in just five months. Despite these rising prices, demand for beef remains robust. However, ranchers are contending with the smallest U.S. cattle herd in 70 years, a situation driven by years of drought, escalating costs, and an aging workforce. “I think it's going to take a while to fix this crisis that we're in with the cattle shortage. My message to consumers is simple: Folks, be patient. We've got to build back our herds,” Bolton advised.
The executive order’s reach extends beyond beef. It identifies meat processing, seed, fertilizer, and equipment as sectors susceptible to anti-competitive practices. Yet, notably, the Department of Agriculture has not been assigned a direct role in the new task forces, raising questions about the scope of the investigation and its impact on farmers. The order also marks a policy reversal for Trump, who in August 2025 rescinded a Biden-era directive (Executive Order 14036) that had tasked federal agencies with scrutinizing corporate consolidation and foreign monopolies in food and agriculture. Now, the administration is refocusing on these very issues, emphasizing the need to protect American consumers and producers from the potential threats posed by foreign-controlled corporations.
Foreign ownership in the U.S. food industry has become a flashpoint. The order singles out Brazil-based JBS and Smithfield Foods—owned by China’s WH Group—as examples of foreign influence in the American meatpacking sector. Earlier in 2025, WH Group spun off Smithfield’s North American operations amid growing concerns about Chinese control over U.S. agriculture. The Trump administration, seeking to address consumer costs, has also rolled back tariffs on food items such as beef and coffee and cut auto mileage standards to reduce regulatory burdens in other sectors.
Meat processors, for their part, dispute the notion that they are responsible for high prices. Julie Anna Potts, president and CEO of the Meat Institute, which represents processors, told Food Dive, “Despite high consumer prices for beef, beef packers have been losing money because the price of cattle is at record highs. For more than a year, beef packers have been operating at a loss due to a tight cattle supply and strong demand.” The industry’s woes are underscored by Tyson Foods’ recent announcement of plans to lay off more than 4,000 workers and close one of its largest beef processing plants due to supply constraints.
The new task forces are expected to provide lawmakers with recommendations for addressing food industry competition and security. However, the briefings will exclude non-public investigative information, leaving some in Congress and the public eager for greater transparency. The FTC, under the previous Biden administration, had pushed for investigations and challenged mergers in the food and grocery industries, but the Trump administration has since dismissed Democratic FTC members and approved high-profile acquisitions, such as Mars’ purchase of Kellanova.
As the investigations get underway, the stakes remain high for American consumers and producers alike. With beef prices unlikely to fall soon and the cattle industry facing a long road to recovery, the outcome of the DOJ and FTC probes could help determine whether relief is on the horizon—or if the U.S. food supply chain will remain under pressure for the foreseeable future.
For now, families across the country will be watching closely, hoping that the government’s renewed attention will finally bring answers—and perhaps some much-needed relief—at the checkout line.
