Meat Institute Issues Statement on Beef Processing Sector DOJ Investigation

In the cattle and beef markets, the market fundamentals of supply and demand are at work: beef demand is very strong, and the cattle herd is the smallest it's been in 75 years. Cattle producers are enjoying record prices, while beef packers have been suffering under negative margins since September 2024. Packing plant utilization rates have dipped and some facilities are scaling back operations, including reduced shifts and shortened workweeks.