Are the big meatpackers corrupt? Growing consensus in Congress
David Murray, 08 June 2021
A different decade, a new administration, a shuffle in Congressional leadership. Much has changed across the U.S. political landscape in the last several years, yet one concerning issue has lingered for nearly half a century … corporate concentration within the meatpacking industry.
“The time has come for the government to determine whether the stranglehold large meatpackers have over the beef processing market violate our antitrust laws and principles of fair competition,” states a recent congressional letter to U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland. “… four large meat packing companies control over 80% of the processing market in today’s economy and are seemingly able to control prices at their will, or even defy expectations of market fundamentals.
“From our perspective, the anti-competitive practices occurring in the industry today are unambiguous and either our antitrust laws are not being enforced or they are not capable of addressing the apparent oligopoly that so plainly exists. This needs to change.”
