The Problem: America’s Food System Is Broken
Four corporations control 80% of our meat supply in the USA.
Ranchers are squeezed, consumers pay more, and communities lose access to fresh food.
Corporate Control of the Meat Industry
- Beef: Four packers - JBS, Tyson, Cargill, and National Beef - control more than 80% of the U.S. market.
- Pork: Smithfield, owned by China's WH Group, dominates 25% of production.
- Poultry: Four firms produce over half of all chicken sold in America.
Producers Are Being Squeezed Out
Local ranchers and farmers cannot compete in a system designed for mega-processors. They face:
- Depressed livestock prices due to packer dominance.
- Long wait times - up to 6 months - for USDA slaughter slots.
- Loss of profit margins to middlemen who process, brand, and distribute.
- “Producers are forced to sell low while corporations sell high.”
Communities Pay the Price
Consumers are not benefiting from corporate dominance. Instead, they face:
- Higher retail meat prices while farmers are paid less.
- Food deserts where local butcher shops have disappeared.
- Vulnerability to supply chain shocks, as seen during COVID-19 when plant closures caused nationwide shortages.
America’s Food Future Is at Stake
The consolidation of our meat supply is not just an economic issue - it is a matter of national security and community survival. When just a handful of corporations control our protein, they control what we eat, what we pay, and how our farmers live.
But there is a way forward - one that uses USDA federal law to put power back in the hands of independent ranchers and farmers.