Farm Groups Blast Trump Competition Rule as Favoring Meat Giants
- New regulation clarifies meaning of ‘undue’ preference
- Small-farmer groups say rule protects large corporations
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Some farm groups criticized a long-delayed competition rule the Trump administration announced Thursday as favoring big meatpacking and poultry processors and leaving small farmers and ranchers vulnerable to unfair treatment in selling livestock.
The National Farmers Union and R-CALF USA, both more closely aligned with smaller producers, said the regulations will make it harder to prevail on claims meat giants have abused their market power at a time when four large corporations control about 80% of U.S. beef processing. They called on the incoming Biden administration to reverse the regulation, which will go into effect nine days before Donald Trump leaves office.