President Donald Trump on Saturday signed a new executive order directing the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to create task forces focused on price fixing and other anti-competitive practices within the U.S. food industry.
The order is titled “Addressing Security Risks From Price Fixing and Anti-Competitive Behavior in the Food Supply Chain.”
It frames food affordability and supply stability as matters of national and economic security.
The order cites vulnerabilities in multiple sectors, including meat processing, seed and fertilizer production, and agricultural equipment manufacturing.
It also references recent civil settlements in price-fixing cases totaling tens of millions of dollars.
According to the order, these sectors remain highly susceptible to collusion, consolidation, and other market abuses.
The directive also warns that anti-competitive behavior by foreign-controlled corporations could drive up food prices and threaten the reliability of the American food supply.
Under the new directive, the attorney general and the FTC chairman must establish internal task forces dedicated to investigating potential anti-competitive conduct throughout the food supply chain.
A significant part of their work will involve determining whether foreign ownership or control in food-related industries contributes to higher consumer costs or broader national security risks.
The task forces will be empowered to pursue enforcement actions and recommend new regulatory measures.
If the DOJ task force identifies evidence suggesting criminal collusion, the attorney general is instructed to initiate appropriate proceedings, which could include grand jury investigations.
The executive order also requires both agencies to submit joint progress reports to Congress.
These briefings, due at 180 days and 365 days after the order’s signing, must be delivered to the Speaker of the House, the Senate majority leader, and the chairs of relevant committees.
While the reports may outline findings and policy recommendations, they cannot disclose details about ongoing investigations or other non-public enforcement activities.
Saturday’s order follows the administration’s earlier scrutiny of the food industry.
In November 2025, Trump called for a DOJ probe into allegations of collusion and price manipulation in the meatpacking sector, pointing to elevated beef prices and growing concerns about foreign ownership.
“We will always protect our American Ranchers,” Trump wrote on Truth Social at the time, arguing that foreign-owned processors were inflating prices and jeopardizing food supply security.
The new directive comes as the president has tasked Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent with addressing the rising cost of living.
It’s an issue consistently ranked among the top concerns for voters.
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