On November 7, 2025, President Trump directed the Department of Justice to open an antitrust investigation into the country’s four largest meat packers: JBS, Cargill, Tyson Foods and National Beef. According to the US Department of Agriculture, these companies control 85% of the US beef processing market. In such highly concentrated industries, firms may be able to use their market power to raise prices for consumers while forcing their suppliers and workers to accept reduced prices and wages—conduct that can violate federal antitrust laws.
Rising meat prices have been a bipartisan concern for years. The first Trump administration began an investigation of the meatpacking industry in 2020, which continued during the Biden administration. In January 2022, President Biden added his own initiative by presenting an action plan to increase competition in the meatpacking industry as part of his Executive Order on Promoting Competition in the American Economy. However, after five years of investigation, DOJ recently closed the 2020 inquiry with no findings, and Trump revoked Biden’s Executive Order on Competition.
Now that affordability appears to be top of mind for consumers, some of the concerns that motivated the earlier investigations have received new focus. Anti-competitive concerns in other concentrated industries may also receive renewed attention.
Because of the secretive nature of price fixing, whistleblowers can be an important resource for federal prosecutors investigating such anti-competitive schemes. Earlier this year, DOJ partnered with the US Postal Service to create a new antitrust whistleblower program, which offers financial rewards to qualified whistleblowers for reporting certain violations of antitrust laws, including price fixing, bid rigging, and market allocation. Such collusive conduct can occur in any market. Examples in which DOJ and the Postal Service have recently brought successful antitrust enforcement actions include the pharmaceutical, asphalt, concrete, and ecommerce industries.
The high-profile investigation of the meatpacking industry, and the increased incentives offered by the antitrust whistleblower program, signal a strong commitment by the government to uncovering antitrust violations.
The whistleblower attorneys at Phillips & Cohen understand the complex nature of price fixing, bid rigging, and other collusive behavior and have extensive experience navigating whistleblower programs. Contact Phillips & Cohen for a confidential review of your potential case.
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