President Trump signed an Executive Order Dec. 6, 2025, titled, “Addressing Security Risks from Price Fixing and Anti-Competitive Behavior in the Food Supply Chain.”
The order instructs the attorney general and the chairman of the Federal Trade Commission to each create a task force to determine whether anti-competitive behavior exists in food supply chains and to investigate foreign entities to decide whether their actions are increasing the cost of food in the United States.
Senators and Congressmen from Tri-State Livestock News region have been mostly, if not exclusively supportive of the president’s Department of Justice investigation into the meat packers. Senator Steve Daines (R-Mont.), in a recent KFYR news story acknowledged the growing margin between beef and cattle prices.
“When you take a look at the price that the rancher receives versus what the cut meat receives when it leaves the packers, there’s a significant disparity there,” said Daines.
He said supporting local livestock producers is key.
“The answer is: number one, expanded markets for us to export to allow us to grow our herds and export beef. Also, we need to streamline some of the regulations in terms of grazing permits to help our ranchers at this time,” said Daines.
R-CALF USA CEO Bill Bullard of Billings, Montana, explained that the latest announcement means an expansion of the current Department of Justice investigation into possible illegal activity on the part of the big four packers.
Now, with the executive order, the entire food chain will be investigated, rather than just the meatpackers, said Bullard. The DOJ and FTC will each establish a task force, and will coordinate their investigations. Bullard explained that the Packers and Stockyards Act doesn’t include retail activity, thus the need to involve the Federal Trade Commission when investigating retailers.
“Up until now the focus has been only on the middle-man of the supply chain – the beef packer – but we understand that a significant portion of the consumer beef dollar stays with the retailer,” said Bullard. “We welcome this comprehensive investigation covering the entire beef supply chain. In the past we have focused on the cattle link in the chain, which ends with the meatpacker. Now we have another investigation that begins with the meatpacker and ends with the consumer.”
“We have long complained about the growing spread between live cattle prices and consumer beef prices,” said Bullard. “We suspect those prices are determined by monopolistic control by meatpackers and monopolistic control by retailers.”
R-CALF USA, along with other groups such as National Farmers Union filed a lawsuit alleging that the big four meatpackers colluded and manipulated prices beginning in 2015.
Bullard said his organization has been in contact with the DOJ to offer assistance in the original investigation and will be reaching out to the FTC as well, although their members are less likely to have first hand experience on the retail side of the industry. “This is really beyond the cattle industry, so our members may not have information regarding how prices are set by packers and retailers. That’s why we need federal agencies to be involved- because we don’t have that information,” he said.
The Executive Order follows:
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered:
Section 1. Background. 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. In recent years certain companies in the American food supply chain have even settled civil suits accusing them of price fixing for tens of millions of dollars. Food supply sectors including meat processing, seed, fertilizer, and equipment have similar vulnerabilities to price fixing and other anti-competitive practices. My Administration will act to determine whether anti-competitive behavior, especially by foreign-controlled companies, increases the cost of living for Americans and address any associated national security threat to food supply chains.
Sec. 2. Food Supply Chain Security Task Forces to Protect Competition. (a) The Attorney General and the Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission shall each establish a Food Supply Chain Security Task Force within the Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission, respectively, that will take all necessary and appropriate actions to investigate food-related industries within their established areas of expertise and determine whether anti-competitive behavior exists in food supply chains in the United States, as well as whether control of food-related industries by foreign entities is increasing the cost of food products in the United States or creating a national or economic security threat to Americans. The Attorney General and the Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission shall take such actions as are necessary to remedy any anti-competitive behavior that their respective investigations uncover, including bringing enforcement actions and proposing new regulatory approaches. Should the Department of Justice Food Supply Chain Security Task Force uncover any evidence of criminal collusion, the Attorney General shall commence criminal proceedings as appropriate, including grand jury investigations.
(b) The Task Forces shall, as permitted by law, jointly brief the Speaker of the House, the Majority Leader of the Senate, and the chairs of congressional committees of jurisdiction with a summary of their progress pursuant to this order once within 180 days following the date of this order, and again within 365 days following the date of this order, including, if relevant after consulting with the Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief of Staff for Legislative, Political, and Public Affairs, any recommended congressional actions. Such briefings shall not include any information related to ongoing investigations, prosecutions, regulatory actions, or litigation nor any non‑public information regarding any food-related industry investigated pursuant to this order.
Sec. 3. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or
(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
(c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
(d) The costs for publication of this order shall be borne by the Department of Justice.
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