Lawmakers and farmers push for more transparency and competition in U.S. beef market

Rep. Thomas Massie appeared on a business morning program to argue that a concentrated group of four meat processors, several with foreign ownership, is inflating retail beef prices while cattle prices stay low. He called for the Senate to adopt the PRIME Act, granting states authority to allow intrastate sales from custom-exempt plants without ongoing federal inspection, thereby easing entry for small processors. Massie also pressed for the reinstatement of mandatory country-of-origin labeling and urged inclusion of the PRIME Act in the upcoming farm bill.

At the Farm Progress Show in Boone, Iowa, Missouri farmer Andy Kapp described the tight economics facing producers and said he favors buying local beef. Kapp added that if imported beef becomes more common, consumers should be informed of its origin through labeling. Both speakers warned that unchecked imports could discourage U.S. cattle producers from rebuilding herds, affecting the domestic supply chain.