Commissioner Miller Praises DOJ Antitrust Probe Into Major Meatpackers

AUSTIN - Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller today thanked the U.S. Department of Justice for launching a criminal antitrust probe into major meatpackers.

The following statement may be attributed to Commissioner Miller:

"I am glad to see the Trump administration take a hard look at the meatpacking industry and make sure America's ranchers, and the families who depend on them, are finally getting a fair deal. With the Department of Justice launching a criminal antitrust investigation into the major meatpackers, we are finally seeing real movement toward accountability.

Just four dominant companies process roughly 85 percent of America's beef supply, and that level of consolidation demands scrutiny when American families are paying record prices at the grocery store and ranchers are fighting for fair value.

The United States beef supply chain ought to be bred, raised, and processed by American-owned companies, period. I called for this investigation during President Trump's first administration, and I have not let up since. When foreign-owned or highly consolidated packers hold this much control, it does not just distort prices. It puts our food security and rural economies at risk.

The timing could not be more critical. Beef prices have hit highs amid tight cattle supplies, years of drought, and rising input costs, but those realities do not excuse potential manipulation or anti-competitive behavior in a system this concentrated.

We need an America First beef industry that puts American breeders, producers, and processors at the front of the line. When we invest in our own capacity and restore real competition, we stabilize prices, strengthen our supply chains, and ensure the next generation of ranchers is not squeezed out by a handful of powerful players."