- President Trump signed an executive order establishing federal task forces to investigate anti-competitive practices, particularly by foreign-controlled corporations, in sectors like meat processing, seeds, fertilizer and agricultural equipment. The directive aims to address price-fixing, monopolistic behavior and national security risks in the food supply chain.
- Attorney General Pam Bondi and FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson will lead specialized units to enforce antitrust laws and propose regulatory reforms. Investigations will focus on whether foreign entities exert undue influence, potentially driving up grocery prices, with findings to be reported to Congress within 180 days.
- Trump blames Biden-era policies for inflation, dismissing Democratic affordability campaigns as a “hoax.” Democrats accuse corporations of price gouging, while economists debate causes—from Trump’s tariffs to agribusiness consolidation.
- Past administrations (Obama, Biden) attempted antitrust actions in agriculture, but enforcement lagged, allowing multinational conglomerates to dominate. This order signals a more aggressive stance, particularly against foreign actors, framing food security as a strategic national priority.
- Within a year, task forces must deliver recommendations, which could include antitrust lawsuits, trade restrictions or market reforms. Success hinges on lowering food prices, reinforcing Trump’s broader agenda of economic sovereignty and reducing reliance on foreign supply chains—a key issue for 2024 voters.
In a bid to safeguard national food security and affordability, President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday, Dec. 6, establishing federal task forces to investigate anti-competitive practices—particularly by foreign-controlled corporations—within the U.S. food supply chain.
The directive, titled “Addressing Security Risks From Price Fixing and Anti-Competitive Behavior in the Food Supply Chain,” targets sectors including meat processing, seeds, fertilizer and agricultural equipment, where consolidation and alleged price manipulation have raised concerns about rising costs for American consumers.
The order tasks Attorney General Pam Bondi and Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chairman Andrew Ferguson with forming specialized units to probe potential monopolistic behavior, enforce antitrust laws and propose regulatory reforms if wrongdoing is uncovered.
Cracking down on corporate manipulation
The executive order cites past civil settlements—some totaling tens of millions of dollars—where food industry players were accused of price-fixing schemes.
“My administration will act to determine whether anti-competitive behavior, especially by foreign-controlled companies, increases the cost of living for Americans,” Trump wrote, emphasizing the need to address “associated national security threats” to food supply chains.
The Department of Justice and FTC task forces will scrutinize whether foreign entities exert undue influence over critical agricultural sectors, potentially driving up grocery prices. Findings must be reported to congressional leaders within 180 days, though ongoing investigations will remain confidential.
The order arrives amid heightened political tensions over inflation and food costs. Trump has dismissed Democratic affordability campaigns as a “hoax,” blaming Biden-era policies for lingering price surges.
Meanwhile, Democrats like then-Vice President Kamala Harris have accused corporations of exploiting inflation to gouge consumers—a charge echoed by progressive figures such as New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, who made economic fairness a cornerstone of his platform.
Economists remain divided on the root causes. Some argue Trump’s own trade tariffs have contributed to rising input costs, while others point to consolidation in agribusiness as a key driver. The new task forces could reshape that debate if they uncover evidence of collusion or foreign market manipulation.
A long-standing battle
Antitrust enforcement in agriculture is not new. According to BrightU.AI‘s Encoh, the Obama and Biden administrations previously targeted meatpacking monopolies, while Trump’s 2020 executive order on “Promoting American Meat” sought to break up concentration in the beef and poultry industries. However, critics contend that enforcement has lagged, allowing multinational conglomerates to dominate supply chains—often at the expense of farmers and consumers.
The latest order signals a more aggressive stance, particularly against foreign actors. With global food insecurity on the rise and supply chains still vulnerable post-pandemic, the administration frames the effort as preventive.
“Food is a strategic resource,” said one senior White House official. “We cannot allow adversarial nations or cartels to control it.”
Within a year, the task forces must deliver actionable recommendations, which could range from antitrust lawsuits to new trade restrictions. If violations are found, the administration vows “enforcement actions” to restore competition—potentially lowering prices at the checkout aisle.
For now, the move underscores Trump’s broader push for economic sovereignty, aligning with his pledges to dismantle monopolies and reduce reliance on foreign supply chains. As grocery bills remain a pain point for voters, the success—or failure—of this initiative could shape the 2024 electoral landscape.
“When you control food, you control the people,” Trump remarked at a recent rally. “This is about taking that power back for American families.” Whether the task forces can deliver remains to be seen—but the battle over who feeds America is now front and center.
Watch the video below that talks about the FDA supporting Big Food companies in selling junk food.
This video is from The Truth About Cancer channel on Brighteon.com.
Sources include:
TheEpochTimes.com
WhiteHouse.gov
BrightU.ai
Brighteon.com
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