Rancher welcomes Trump's focus on beef industry margins. The president recently signed an executive order to establish food supply chain security task forces, including investigations into anti-competitive behavior by major meatpacking companies.
In the Hill Country of Texas, a region known for its cattle ranches and vast pastures, Cole Bolton is breathing a sigh of relief. As the owner of K& C Cattle Company, he's been dealing with thin margins in the beef industry for decades. "Ranchers have dealt with such thin margins of profitability for the last 20 years," Bolton said.
Bolton believes that President Trump's executive order could be a game-changer for the industry. The president has accused major meatpacking companies, including Tyson, JBS, Cargill, and National Beef, of driving up beef prices through illicit collusion, price fixing, and price manipulation.
Beef prices have climbed to record highs in recent months, with the average price of beef in grocery stores increasing by nearly 9% over the past year. Despite this rise, demand for beef remains strong. Bolton attributes this to a lack of competition in the industry, which has led to higher prices for consumers.
The problem facing ranchers like Bolton is that they're operating on razor-thin margins. Years of drought, rising costs, and an aging workforce have thinned herds across the country. Rebuilding will take years, and beef prices aren't likely to ease anytime soon.
Bolton warned consumers to be patient and urged them to support ranchers who are working hard to rebuild their herds. "I think it's going to take a while to fix this crisis that we're in with the cattle shortage," he said. "My message to consumers is simple: Folks, be patient. We've got to build back our herds."
The Trump administration's executive order is seen as a positive development for ranchers like Bolton, who are struggling to make ends meet. As the industry continues to grapple with its own set of challenges, Bolton remains optimistic that the president's efforts will help to restore balance to the beef market.
For Bolton and other ranchers, it's a welcome change in pace from years of uncertainty and competition. "The real issue is the price differential between the big four packers and what they're paying us for the product," he explained.
With prices at record highs and demand still strong, it's clear that the beef industry will be facing significant challenges in the coming months. However, with the Trump administration's support, there's hope that ranchers like Bolton can begin to rebuild their herds and restore balance to the market.
In the Hill Country of Texas, a region known for its cattle ranches and vast pastures, Cole Bolton is breathing a sigh of relief. As the owner of K& C Cattle Company, he's been dealing with thin margins in the beef industry for decades. "Ranchers have dealt with such thin margins of profitability for the last 20 years," Bolton said.
Bolton believes that President Trump's executive order could be a game-changer for the industry. The president has accused major meatpacking companies, including Tyson, JBS, Cargill, and National Beef, of driving up beef prices through illicit collusion, price fixing, and price manipulation.
Beef prices have climbed to record highs in recent months, with the average price of beef in grocery stores increasing by nearly 9% over the past year. Despite this rise, demand for beef remains strong. Bolton attributes this to a lack of competition in the industry, which has led to higher prices for consumers.
The problem facing ranchers like Bolton is that they're operating on razor-thin margins. Years of drought, rising costs, and an aging workforce have thinned herds across the country. Rebuilding will take years, and beef prices aren't likely to ease anytime soon.
Bolton warned consumers to be patient and urged them to support ranchers who are working hard to rebuild their herds. "I think it's going to take a while to fix this crisis that we're in with the cattle shortage," he said. "My message to consumers is simple: Folks, be patient. We've got to build back our herds."
The Trump administration's executive order is seen as a positive development for ranchers like Bolton, who are struggling to make ends meet. As the industry continues to grapple with its own set of challenges, Bolton remains optimistic that the president's efforts will help to restore balance to the beef market.
For Bolton and other ranchers, it's a welcome change in pace from years of uncertainty and competition. "The real issue is the price differential between the big four packers and what they're paying us for the product," he explained.
With prices at record highs and demand still strong, it's clear that the beef industry will be facing significant challenges in the coming months. However, with the Trump administration's support, there's hope that ranchers like Bolton can begin to rebuild their herds and restore balance to the market.
The beef industry is a perfect example of how corporate power can disrupt local economies. Those big four packers, Tyson, JBS, Cargill, and National Beef, have been accused of price fixing and collusion, which has led to record high prices at the grocery store. But what's really interesting is that these companies are also major players in the ranching industry, buying up land and cattle from small farmers like Cole Bolton.
. I mean, what's really going on here? The president just so happens to sign an executive order that benefits a specific industry, the beef industry. What about all the other industries that are struggling? It seems like Trump is only looking out for his buddies in the meatpacking game 
. And what about the drought and aging workforce? That's not something you can just "fix" overnight. I'm sure it's all just a coincidence that this executive order came along when beef prices were at record highs 
. Give me a break!
beef prices r insane! been goin thru thin margins 4eva & it feels like theres no end in sight 
cole bolton tho is lowkey my hero 
he gets it, the big four packers are killin us 
& now trumps comin thru w/ executive order & its all about makin balance 
but i think we need 2 be patient fam 
rebuildin herdz takes time & beef prices r prob still goin up 
anyway, let's just say i'm hyped 4 the potential 
- beef prices are thru the roof and we're told to just be patient? Like, I get it, cowboys have been dealing with thin margins for years, but 9% in one year is crazy 
. Maybe we'll finally see some real competition in the beef industry and prices will come back down to earth 
. And honestly, who doesn't love a good beef sandwich on a tight budget? 
They're already struggling to keep up due to years of drought and rising costs.
This is awesome news for Cole Bolton and all the ranchers out there! I've been seeing prices rising on beef for ages, and it's not just about the cost, but also the lack of competition. It's like they're controlling the whole market, you know? 
this is a good move by trump, farmers have been struggling for years and it's about time someone listened 
gotta support the little guy in this situation 
. Thin margins have been a major problem for ranchers like him for ages, and it's great that someone is finally giving them attention 
And the fact that major meatpacking companies are accused of price fixing and anti-competitive behavior is just ridiculous 
.
.
. We need more concrete evidence before making such accusations. And what about the impact on smaller meatpacking companies and local butchers who might struggle to compete with the giants? 
. Is this executive order really going to make a significant difference in restoring balance to the market? Or is it just a Band-Aid solution for a more complex problem? 
... I guess only time will tell if this executive order is going to be a game-changer or just another attempt at fixing a symptom rather than the root cause of the problem 
.