Bloomberg Law
July 21, 2020, 6:54 PM

USDA to Finish Probe of Beef Price Surges Soon, Ibach Says

Mike Dorning
Mike Dorning
Bloomberg News

USDA is “nearing conclusion” in its investigation into allegations that meatpackers manipulated the price of beef during the coronavirus pandemic and following a fire at a Tyson Foods plant in Kansas in 2019, says Greg Ibach, the department’s undersecretary for marketing and regulatory programs.

  • USDA hopes to release a report on the probe in “the very near future:” Ibach
  • “There may be actions” that Congress and the industry “may want to consider” as a result of the findings, Ibach says
  • NOTE: The U.S. Justice Department has opened a separate antitrust investigation of the meatpackers’ actions
  • Ibach spoke in response ...