The Beef Is Real: Texas Joins DOJ In Massive Meatpacking Antitrust Probe
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton joins the DOJ to investigate whether a 'Big Four' meatpacking cartel is rigging beef prices at the expense of ranchers and local restaurants.
By Foodie Pundit Newsroom - Published - Updated - Section: Policy Regulation
Key points
- Texas AG Ken Paxton has officially partnered with the DOJ to investigate Agri Stats, Cargill, JBS, and National Beef for alleged anticompetitive behavior.
- The probe centers on whether data-sharing and capacity limits were used to artificially inflate beef prices while underpaying ranchers.
- Independent restaurants are most at risk, as price manipulation by meat titans directly erodes the razor-thin margins of local eateries.
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Sources and methodology
Reported from the public datasets below.