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US President Donald Trump has pledged on social media to allow American cattle ranchers to process and sell their own meat to break what he called a “nasty monopoly” of four major processors.

However the move has been met with a less than enthusiastic response from the US cattle industry’s main ranching representative body.

President Trump said in a post to his Truth Social network over the weekend that he was having legal documents drawn up to give small farmers and ranchers the right to process and sell their own food.

The move targets Tyson Foods, Cargill, JBS USA and National Beef Packing Co, which together handle about 85 percent of US beef processing.

“Ranchers and Farmers have always been a number one priority for me,” President Trump said in the post.

“They work very hard, are smart, efficient, and immaculately CLEAN, but for years I have heard that they have had a tremendous problem with the Big Processors, who many say are a nasty Monopoly.

“There are, essentially, 4 of them, a very non competitive number, and they make life miserable for our wonderful Farmers and Ranchers, and I can’t let that happen, can I?

“So, in order to break this powerful monopoly, with much of its ownership based outside of the U.S., I am authorizing legal documents to be drawn in order to allow Farmers and Ranchers to be given the right to PROCESS THEIR OWN FOOD. This should move quickly.

“Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DONALD J. TRUMP”

US farmers can already slaughter and process animals for their own household consumption. However, they cannot sell that meat to restaurants, businesses or the public unless the animals are processed at an appropriately state- or federally inspected facility.

President Trump did not detail what regulatory or legislative changes were being prepared, or whether meat processed under his proposal would remain subject to existing federal inspection and food safety requirements.

His announcement followed a radio interview with conservative US talk-show host and cattle rancher Glenn Beck, who described the four companies as a “meat processing cartel”.

“Help us. With all the federal regulations, it is really hard,” Mr Beck said in the interview.

“So you’re saying, with less regulation, you think that the ranchers and farmers would do a very good job of processing the beef,” Mr Trump said in response.

“Wow, I’ll look into that today. You just gave me a very good idea.”

The US Justice Department’s antitrust division has been investigating since April whether meatpackers have engaged in criminal anti-competitive conduct.

In previous public statements the major meat packers have stated that while US beef processing is  concentrated it is still competitive, and that movements in cattle prices, beef prices and processor margins primarily reflect cattle cycles, processing capacity, labour availability, consumer demand and supply-chain disruptions.

It also comes at a time when meat processing plants are also facing significant challenges from historically-low cattle inventories resulting in numerous recent plant closures

President Trump’s latest proposal also follows his announcement of a temporary 300,000-tonne increase in the low-tariff import quota for lean beef trimmings, intended to increase ground beef supplies and reduce consumer prices.

That measure angered US ranching groups, but his latest attempt to win over cattle producers appears to have also received a cool response.

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association responded on Facebook by saying weakening federal meat inspection and food safety regulations was not the answer. It instead called on Washington to “stop trying to manage the cattle business and let the market work”.

“More competition. Less unnecessary regulation. Strong food safety standards,” the NCBA post stated.

“NCBA supports creating more opportunities for small, mid-size and regional beef processors – and eliminating unnecessary regulations that make it harder for those businesses to compete.

“But weakening federal meat inspection and food safety standards is not the
answer.

“America’s cattle producers have spent generations earning consumer confidence in the safety and
quality of U.S. beef. That trust is invaluable, and so is the gold standard food safety system that helps sustain it. Neither should be jeopardized for a short-term political solution.

“If Washington wants to help cattle producers, the focus should be on:

• Reducing legitimate regulatory burdens
• Lowering fuel and fertilizer costs
• Protecting the U.S. cattle herd from foreign animal disease
• Expanding opportunities for small, mid-size and regional processors.

“American farmers and ranchers know how to produce safe, high-quality beef.

“Washington should stop trying to manage the cattle business and let the market work.”