Trump Signs Executive Order Launching Task Forces to Combat Food Price Fixing and Foreign Influence
The directive requires Attorney General Pam Bondi and FTC Chair Lina Khan to form the Food Supply Chain Security Task Forces within their agencies, empowering them to probe whether anti-competitive conduct—particularly by foreign-controlled entities—elevates grocery prices and poses risks to domestic stability.
President Donald Trump signed an executive order on December 6, 2025, directing the Justice Department and Federal Trade Commission to establish dedicated task forces to investigate price fixing, anti-competitive practices, and foreign control in the U.S. food supply chain. Titled "Addressing Security Risks from Price Fixing and Anti-Competitive Behavior in the Food Supply Chain," the order frames affordable food as a national and economic security priority, targeting sectors like meat processing, seeds, fertilizer, and equipment where consolidated ownership has driven up costs for American consumers.
The directive requires Attorney General Pam Bondi and FTC Chair Lina Khan to form the Food Supply Chain Security Task Forces within their agencies, empowering them to probe whether anti-competitive conduct—particularly by foreign-controlled entities—elevates grocery prices and poses risks to domestic stability. The task forces must initiate enforcement actions, propose regulatory reforms, and pursue criminal proceedings if collusion is uncovered, including grand jury probes. Bondi stated on December 6, "This executive order arms our agencies with the tools to root out monopolistic practices that hurt American families at the checkout line."
The order mandates joint briefings to House Speaker Mike Johnson, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, and relevant committee chairs within 180 days and again within 365 days, excluding details on ongoing investigations. It builds on Trump's November 7 call for a DOJ probe into meatpackers, where four firms control 85% of the market, settling civil suits for $87.5 million in 2024 over alleged price suppression for ranchers while inflating retail costs.
Food prices have risen 25% since 2020, with beef up 51% and egg prices having spiked as high as 120% in early 2025 before falling back to a 35% increase by October, per BLS data. A 2022-2025 drought shrank cattle herds to 87 million—the lowest since 1951. Foreign ownership exacerbates vulnerabilities: JBS (Brazilian) and Cargill (with foreign stakes) dominate beef, while Chinese firms hold 10-15% of U.S. seed patents. The task forces will assess if such dominance threatens supply reliability, as seen in 2022's baby formula shortage from Abbott's Michigan plant closure.
Implementation begins immediately, with the task forces coordinating to uncover patterns like the 2015-2019 cattle bid rigging alleged in lawsuits. Outcomes could include fines, divestitures, or new antitrust rules capping market share at 40%. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins called it a "bold step to protect American ranchers from global monopolies," projecting $2-3 billion in annual savings for consumers if reforms succeed. The order underscores Trump's America First agenda, prioritizing domestic food security amid $1.1 trillion in 2025 grocery spending.
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