By: NATHAN STUEDLE
The Trump administration says it’s preparing new action aimed at giving farmers and ranchers more options for processing and selling meat. President Trump announced Friday that legal documents are being prepared as part of an effort to increase competition within the highly concentrated U.S. meatpacking industry. Four companies — Cargill, Tyson Foods, JBS USA and National Beef — currently control about 85 percent of U.S. meat processing.
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins says additional announcements are expected, including efforts to expand interstate meat sales and provide more opportunities for smaller processors. Current federal law generally requires meat sold commercially across state lines to be processed under federal inspection, although some qualifying state-inspected facilities can participate in existing interstate programs. The Meat Institute warns that weakening federal inspection requirements could create food-safety concerns. The administration says its goal is to give producers additional marketing options while increasing competition in meat processing.