PHOENIX — Eight days after President Trump issued an executive order mandating that meat plants remain open during the pandemic, Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich joined with 10 other state attorneys general in calling for an investigation into alleged price fixing by meat packers.
“In this current environment of food insecurity, rising unemployment, and reduced income, it is more important than ever to ensure competition to protect food prices,” Brnovich said. “We ask DOJ to collaborate with the states and pool our collective resources towards promoting competition in the meat packing industry and protecting consumers.”
The attorneys general point to the low prices for cattle while prices for packaged beef remain high.
They also point out that the four largest meat-packing companies control about 80 percent of the beef that goes to market.
The other states seeking a Department of Justice investigation are Colorado, Idaho, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming.
