economy
January 23, 2026
Inflation didn’t eat your steak. A cartel did.
Once upon a time, you paid fifty bucks for a steak only if your waiter wore a tux. Now you pay it under fluorescent lights at the supermarket.
TL;DR
- U.S. beef prices are influenced by foreign demand, particularly from China, due to foreign control of major meatpacking plants.
- Four companies control approximately 85% of U.S. beef processing, with two effectively controlled from Brazil (JBS and National Beef).
- This control creates a choke point, allowing foreign demand to set prices rather than domestic market conditions.
- When trade tensions flared, Brazilian exporters shifted beef to China, leading to supply shortages and price increases in the U.S.
- Former President Trump launched an antitrust investigation into foreign-dominated meatpacking firms, citing economic and national security concerns.
- The article advocates for restoring competition through measures like breakups and divestitures if necessary, to ensure American consumers set prices, not overseas entities.
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