By OBBM Network Editorial Staff

Derived from an episode of Going Rogue With Lara Logan.

What would you do if the price of the steak on your plate was set by a handful of companies you could never see?

The Rise of a Beef Oligopoly

Shad Sullivan, a cattle rancher and advocate with the trade group Arcoff, explained that the United States now has only four major firms—JBS, National Marfrig, Tyson, and Cargill—controlling roughly 85% of the beef supply chain. In 1979 those same companies held just about a third of the market; today they dominate the industry, forcing many ranchers off the land and turning the remaining producers into price takers.

“We only have 84 major companies globally, and those four control the beef supply chain at 85%,” Sullivan said. “They’ve forced so many ranchers off the land that fewer ranchers are producing cattle, and then those ranchers become price takers because there’s no competition in the marketplace.”

Impact on Ranchers and Consumers

The concentration of power has created a double‑edged problem. Ranchers face rising costs for land, diesel, and equipment while receiving less for their cattle. At the same time, consumers see beef prices climb, even as the meat packers post record profits in other sectors like poultry and pork.

Sullivan noted that the current cattle inventory is at a 75‑year low, a situation compounded by drought regulations and, more critically, the lack of competition. “The price signals come from the consumer,” he said, “but as long as the packers are selling that beef and we’re buying it, it’s not going to go down in the store, no matter how much beef America imports.”

Government Response Under the Trump Administration

President Trump has taken steps to address the issue, announcing a plan to import 300,000 metric tons of ground beef at a 25% price reduction. While the move sparked backlash from ranchers who felt betrayed, the administration has also launched investigations into the meat packers and retailers, with the Department of Justice and the USDA’s Office of the Secretary of Agriculture, led by Brooke Rollins, joining the effort.

“President Trump has called for an investigation, which is already underway,” Sullivan said. “The Department of Justice has called for an investigation. There are many private lawsuits with these main beef packers from all kinds of people, retailers, private individuals and such.”

Reviving the Packers and Stockyards Act

Both Sullivan and Logan highlighted the historical Packers and Stockyards Act of 1921, which once broke up monopolistic practices in the meat industry. Over the decades, enforcement waned, allowing the current concentration to re‑emerge. Secretary Rollins has acknowledged the need to enforce the Act again, aiming to restore competition and protect property rights for ranchers.

“Monopoly power is bad for consumers, it’s bad for society, it’s bad for this nation,” Logan asserted. “We have to get back to what the Constitution was founded on, and that’s property rights.”

What Comes Next for American Beef?

The conversation concluded with a warning that unchecked consolidation could become a food‑security crisis. If the federal government succeeds in enforcing antitrust measures and breaking up the beef cartels, ranchers could regain leverage, and consumers might see more stable prices.

For now, the industry remains in a tense standoff: powerful packers versus a coalition of ranchers, lawmakers, and a president determined to curb monopoly influence. The outcome will shape not only the cost of a burger but also the broader health of America’s agricultural backbone.

The full episode of Going Rogue With Lara Logan is available on OBBM Network TV.