Washington: Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer has expressed concern over what he described as growing foreign, including China-linked, influence over the United States’ food supply chain, warning that market consolidation is affecting consumers, farmers and national security.
In a letter addressed to senior members of President Donald Trump’s Cabinet, Schumer urged immediate enforcement measures against what he characterised as anti-competitive behaviour and expanding foreign control across key segments of the American agricultural system.
Schumer wrote to Agriculture Secretary Rollins, Treasury Secretary Bessent and Attorney General Bondi, stating that a limited number of foreign-owned corporations now dominate significant portions of the agricultural supply chain, from production inputs to meat processing and food manufacturing.
He argued that rising consolidation has placed pressure on grocery prices and farmer profitability. “The price of groceries has skyrocketed due to Trump tariff taxes and erratic economic policies – and now, costs threaten to go up even higher as the administration ignores how foreign-owned corporations have rigged markets,” Schumer said. He added that consumers are paying more while farmers and ranchers face shrinking margins.
According to Schumer, when foreign corporations increase their hold over agriculture and food markets, it raises broader concerns beyond economics. He stated that food security becomes a national security issue if foreign adversaries gain significant leverage over what Americans consume and what farmers require to produce crops and livestock.
Highlighting concentration in the meat sector, Schumer noted that four firms control approximately 85 per cent of US beef processing. He identified JBS and National Beef as subsidiaries of Brazilian conglomerates. He also said that JBS has paid over $200 million in settlements related to federal price-fixing lawsuits involving beef and pork. Meanwhile, he pointed to rising ground beef prices, which he said have increased by more than 13 per cent within a year.
Schumer also referenced Smithfield Foods, which is owned by China’s WH Group, stating that it holds a dominant role in US pork processing. He noted that in January the company announced a $450 million acquisition of Nathan’s Famous, describing it as one of America’s iconic food brands.
“When a company controlled by a Chinese parent corporation is buying up beloved American brands while families struggle to afford groceries, something is fundamentally wrong,” Schumer wrote.
Beyond meat processing, the senator raised concerns about agricultural inputs such as fertilisers, seeds and chemicals. He referred to Syngenta Group, owned by ChemChina, stating that a company ultimately accountable to the Chinese Communist Party occupies a central position in supply chains on which American farmers depend. He described this as a strategic vulnerability that could become critical during disruptions in US-China relations.
Schumer also mentioned increased Russian fertiliser exports to the United States amid the ongoing war in Ukraine, warning that reliance on adversarial nations for key inputs could weaken domestic resilience.
Criticising the administration’s enforcement approach, Schumer said that despite executive directives and public statements, no enforcement actions have been initiated, no companies have been charged and no acquisitions have been blocked.
He called for action under existing antitrust statutes, including the Sherman Act, the Clayton Act and the Packers and Stockyards Act. Additionally, he urged a review of foreign acquisitions by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States and stronger oversight of market concentration.
Schumer concluded by stating that American families need relief from rising grocery costs and that rural communities require competitive markets that allow farmers and ranchers to earn sustainable returns. He emphasised that food security should be treated as a national security priority and enforced accordingly under current laws.
