President Donald Trump escalated his fight with America's largest meat processors Friday, accusing the four companies that dominate U.S. beef processing of operating what he called a "nasty monopoly" and announcing that he has authorized legal documents aimed at giving farmers and ranchers greater rights to process their own food.
"Ranchers and Farmers have always been a number one priority for me," Trump wrote Friday. "They work very hard, are smart, efficient, and immaculately CLEAN, but for years I have heard that they have had a tremendous problem with the Big Processors, who many say are a nasty Monopoly."
"There are, essentially, 4 of them, a very non competitive number, and they make life miserable for our wonderful Farmers and Ranchers, and I can't let that happen," Trump continued.
The president said he was "authorizing legal documents to be drawn" to give farmers and ranchers the right to process their own food, saying the effort "should move quickly."
BREAKING: President Trump accuses the 4 big meat processors in the US of being a "nasty monopoly" and says "I can't let that happen."
— The Kobeissi Letter (@KobeissiLetter) August 28, 2026
Trump says he is now authorizing legal documents to be drawn in order to allow farmers and ranchers to be given the right to process their own… pic.twitter.com/9PKfymWp6g
Trump's announcement came just two days after conservative radio host Glenn Beck raised the issue directly with the president and urged him to examine federal regulations governing meat processing.
During the interview, Beck described the country's processing system as a "cartel" controlled by four major companies and argued that government regulations make it difficult for smaller ranchers to process and sell their own cattle.
"This could be a very good call for ranchers," Trump responded. "I've been hearing only bad about, it's four places, and it's a monopoly."
The exchange and Trump's promise to examine the regulations were reported Wednesday by Reuters.
The four companies are Cargill, Tyson Foods, JBS USA and National Beef Packing Co. Together, they process approximately 85% of U.S. beef, according to Reuters and the Department of Justice.
That level of concentration has already attracted the attention of the White House. In November 2025, Trump directed the Justice Department to investigate the country's largest meatpacking companies for potential collusion, price fixing, and price manipulation.
In June, Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole Sarrine confirmed publicly that the investigation was "well under way."
"The 'Big Four' meatpackers have come to dominate 85 percent of the U.S. beef processing market, and serious questions have been raised about whether these meatpackers have exploited American consumers, ranchers, and cattlemen," Sarrine said.
The DOJ official also warned about the competitive risks created when a small number of companies control a large share of a market.
"As the level of concentration in a market increases, there is a greater likelihood that rival companies may pull their competitive punches or stop competing altogether and instead look for ways to coordinate with one another," Sarrine said.
Her complete remarks are available directly from the U.S. Department of Justice.
However, Trump's description of the four companies as a "monopoly" or "nasty Monopoly" is his characterization, not an established legal finding. The Justice Department has not announced a determination that Cargill, Tyson, JBS USA and National Beef collectively constitute an illegal monopoly.
Trump's move against the processors comes amid a broader battle over historically high beef prices and just days after the president adopted another policy that angered some American ranchers.
On Wednesday, Trump signed a proclamation temporarily increasing by 300,000 metric tons the amount of imported lean beef trimmings that can enter the United States at the lower tariff rate.
The additional imports will arrive in three tranches of 100,000 metric tons. The first begins Sept. 1, followed by another in October and a final tranche beginning Oct. 31."As President of the United States, I have a responsibility to ensure that hard-working Americans can afford to feed themselves and their families," Trump said in the proclamation.
The White House says the additional imports will apply only to lean beef trimmings, which are commonly blended with fattier domestic beef to produce ground beef.
The administration's White House fact sheet explaining the beef policy says the expanded quota will last approximately 90 days and allow up to 100,000 additional metric tons per month.
The move comes as the United States struggles with historically tight cattle supplies. Drought, wildfires, disease concerns, and restrictions involving cattle imports from Mexico have contributed to the squeeze.
But Trump's import strategy has drawn resistance from U.S. cattle producers concerned that increasing foreign competition could reduce the prices ranchers receive for their animals.
American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall urged Trump to reconsider the tariff decision, warning that it could "undermine America's ranchers who work tirelessly to grow food for American families," according to Reuters.
That creates a difficult balancing act for Trump: lower beef prices for consumers without depressing cattle prices enough to discourage ranchers from rebuilding America's depleted herd.
Taking on the processors offers another possible route.
Ranchers Can Already Process Their Own Cattle
Trump's Friday announcement raises an important legal question because farmers and ranchers already have some rights to process animals outside the standard federal inspection system.
Federal regulations provide exemptions for livestock slaughtered and prepared for an owner's personal household consumption, as well as certain custom slaughter operations.
But those exemptions come with a critical limitation, as the meat generally cannot be sold. USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service says meat produced through a custom-exempt livestock operation must be plainly marked "Not for Sale."
"Custom exempt livestock meat food products" must carry that designation and remain identified that way until they are delivered to the owner, according to the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service's custom-exempt rules.
That distinction could ultimately determine whether Trump's proposal amounts to a modest regulatory change or a significant challenge to America's existing meat-processing system.
