April 20 (Reuters) – The U.S. Department of Justice’s antitrust division is criminally investigating the conduct of large meatpackers, the Wall Street Journal said on Monday, citing people familiar with the matter.
Last year, President Donald Trump accused meatpacking companies of driving up U.S. beef prices through manipulation and collusion and ordered the Justice Department to investigate.
The Justice Department disclosed an investigation of beef companies after Trump’s call for intervention. Officials, however, have not revealed that it is a criminal probe, WSJ reported.
The Justice Department did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.
Tyson Foods, Cargill, JBS USA and National Beef Packing Company slaughter about 85% of U.S. grain-fattened cattle that become steaks, beef roasts and other cuts of meat in supermarkets.
(Reporting by Koyena Das in Bengaluru; Editing by Shailesh Kuber)
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