WASHINGTON – As Glenn Beck interviewed Donald Trump this week on his radio show, the conservative commentator urged the president to "break the back" of the four major meat processing companies.
Trump apparently took the suggestion to heart.
Two days after their interview ‒ and as the president faces a backlash from ranchers ‒ Trump on Aug. 28 announced on Truth Social that he plans to "break this powerful monopoly" by ordering his administration to begin drafting legal action to give ranchers and farmers "the right to PROCESS THEIR OWN FOOD."
"They make life miserable for our wonderful Farmers and Ranchers, and I can’t let that happen, can I?" Trump said of the meat processing companies. "This should move quickly," he added.
The move comes as cattle
ranchers in deeply red western states have revolted against Trump over an executive order he signed this week to temporarily ease tariffs on foreign ground beef imported into the United States in a push to lower the prices of the grocery staple. Republican senators in large cattle states ‒ including Deb Fischer, R-Nebraska, Sen. Tim Sheehy, R-Montana, and John Barrasso, R-Wyoming ‒ have voiced opposition to Trump's action in a rare rebuke of the president.
Four companies control about 85% of U.S. meat processing: Cargill, Tyson Foods, JBS USA, and National Beef Packing Co.
Beck, a Trump ally who owns a ranch in Idaho, in his interview with Trump described the beef processing companies as "a cartel" as he appealed to the president. "Help us. We can't butcher with all of the federal regulations. It is really hard," Beck said. "The inspections are insane."
Trump asked Beck: "If you didn't have those regulations, could you do it on your ranch?" Beck responded, "Yes."
"Wow," Trump said. "I'm going to look into that today. I've been hearing about this problem for 20 years."
It was not immediately clear which executive authority Trump plans to invoke to try to achieve his goal. Existing federal law poses an obstacle.
Under the 1906 Federal Meat Inspection Act, ranchers can process their own meat for personal or household use, but all meat products sold in the United States must be processed at facilities that are subject to inspections by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Kentucky, a rival of Trump, has previously introduced the PRIME Act, which seeks to exempt "custom slaughter facilities" from federal meat inspections, as long as the slaughtering and preparation of meat at those facilities follow state law. The bill has not advanced.
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins in a social media post said "big announcements" will be coming Monday that include "waiving red tape" in meat processing, expanding the ability for ranchers to sell meat across state lines and rescinding what she called "outdated guidance."
Beck, speaking on his podcast after Trump's pledge to take on the meat processing companies, praised the president for acting quickly on his proposal, calling it "game-changing for our food system."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump vows to break meat processing 'monopoly' after push from Glenn Beck
