Meatpacking market power + Brazilian beef tied to forced labor
A news briefing from Farm Action’s policy team
Nov 11, 2026
Beef industry crisis could leave dominant meatpackers even more powerful
What happened: A Wall Street Journal article examines how historically low U.S. cattle inventories are driving record-high cattle prices, forcing meatpacking plant closures, and contributing to persistently high beef prices. The article paints a picture of an industry in crisis, emphasizing financial losses and plant closures among the nation’s largest meatpacking corporations.
Source: Wall Street Journal
Why it matters: The article conflates losses in meatpacking operations with the financial health of the dominant corporations. Tyson and JBS continue to generate profits across their broader operations, even as U.S. beef plants close and jobs disappear. Their size, market power, and diversified operations allow them to consolidate facilities, shift production, and draw on global supply chains to weather the downturn.
Meanwhile, workers and cattle producers face far more lasting consequences. Plant closures eliminate jobs and leave ranchers with fewer buyers, while high input costs and the threat of a price collapse make rebuilding herds increasingly risky.
The result could be fewer independent processors, greater reliance on imported beef, and an even more concentrated industry, with farmers, workers, and consumers bearing the long-term costs.
New research raises forced labor concerns over Brazilian beef imports
What happened: New research reveals how cattle raised on Brazilian ranches linked to forced labor can enter major meatpackers’ supply chains despite safeguards intended to prevent it. Researchers found that ranchers circumvent restrictions by moving cattle through intermediary farms, effectively concealing their origins.
Source: University of Illinois, Brownfield Ag News
Why it matters: As President Trump expands Brazilian beef imports, American ranchers face growing competition from foreign beef potentially produced using modern-day slavery practices. Instead of protecting domestic producers, U.S. trade policy is displacing American-raised cattle with imports tied to abusive labor practices.
Written by Sarah Carden
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