The U.S. Department of Justice has opened a criminal antitrust investigation into the nation’s largest beef processors, known as the Big Four, for alleged collusion and price manipulation in the cattle market.
Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced the major update on May 4, stating that President Donald Trump ordered the Justice Department late last year to probe the companies dominating U.S. beef processing. The action addresses challenges facing American ranchers, including historically low cattle herds and concentrated market power.
⚖️🇺🇸MAJOR UPDATE: @POTUS ordered @TheJusticeDept to launch an immediate investigation into the Big Four meatpackers for collusion and price manipulation late last year.
America’s ranchers face historic challenges — cattle herds at 1950s lows, over 100,000 ranches lost in the… pic.twitter.com/9LEEH3FUar
— Secretary Brooke Rollins (@SecRollins) May 4, 2026
The Big Four — Tyson Foods, Cargill, JBS, and National Beef — control about 85% of U.S. beef processing, according to longstanding USDA data. Two of the companies, JBS and National Beef, are Brazilian-owned or have significant foreign ownership.
Rancher Challenges and Market Concentration
America’s cattle herd stood at approximately 86.2 million head as of January 1, 2026, the lowest level since 1951, per USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service reports. The decline stems from years of drought, high feed costs, and other pressures, with more than 100,000 ranches lost over the past decade, reported SupplyChainBrain.
Secretary Rollins highlighted these issues alongside Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and Trade Advisor Peter Navarro in efforts to deliver short- and long-term solutions. The USDA has advanced its Beef Plan, which includes deregulatory reforms, expanded processing capacity and measures to support local producers.
The investigation builds on President Trump’s November 2025 directive for the DOJ to examine potential anticompetitive practices, including how packers purchase cattle from ranchers, per Fox Business. Reports indicate the probe focuses on whether the companies reached illegal agreements affecting prices paid to producers while retail beef prices remained elevated.
No charges have been filed, and the companies have not issued public responses regarding the latest update.
Broader Administration Efforts
The USDA Beef Plan, announced in October 2025, aims to fortify the industry by prioritizing the protection of ranching operations, expanding processing capacity, and increasing consumer transparency. Actions include expediting grazing permits on federal lands and reducing barriers for smaller processors.
“America’s food supply chain is a national security priority for the Trump Administration,” Secretary Rollins said in the plan’s rollout. “We are committed to ensuring the American people have an affordable source of protein and that America’s ranchers have a strong economic environment where they can continue to operate for generations to come.”
The probe and plan come as ranchers face a tight cattle cycle, with rebuilding herds expected to take years due to biological timelines, the Los Angeles Times reported. Consumer beef prices have reached record levels amid tight supplies.
The Justice Department and USDA continue to coordinate on the matter. Updates on the investigation’s progress have not been detailed beyond confirmation of its criminal focus.
