Rebels, we’ve got another bombshell from Big Meat — and this time, it’s not pork.

Tyson Foods and Cargill just paid $87.5 million to settle a class-action lawsuit over allegations they fixed beef prices for years. The fallout? Higher grocery bills for you, collapsing profits for small ranchers, and billions banked by the biggest meatpackers in the country.

What Was Uncovered

In a landmark legal case, Tyson agreed to pay $55 million and Cargill $32.5 million to settle consumer claims that they conspired with other meatpackers to restrict cattle supplies and inflate beef prices. These companies deny wrongdoing, but they’ve agreed to cooperate as lawsuits against JBS and National Beef move forward.

The scheme allegedly began in 2015 and continued for years, costing consumers billions and driving down prices paid to independent cattle ranchers. The lawsuit paints a clear picture: the Big Four meatpackers rigged the game, then laughed all the way to the bank.

The Numbers Don't Lie

• 85% of the U.S. beef market is controlled by four companies: Tyson, Cargill, JBS, and National Beef.

• From 1980 to now, ranchers' share of the consumer beef dollar dropped from 62 cents to just 37 cents.

• Beef prices rose ~60% in recent years, yet rancher profits plummeted.

• The U.S. lost 40+ cattle operations per day over the past two decades.

• Tyson and Cargill’s settlement covers only a fraction of the $1.9B in estimated damages.

How This Impacts Food Freedom and Local Farming

This isn’t just a courtroom drama. When corporate giants manipulate markets, they:

1. Crush independent ranchers by driving cattle prices below break-even.
2. Force ranch closures and rural job losses.
3. Funnel profits to a few corporations while consumers pay more.
4. Increase reliance on imported beef while domestic producers are pushed out.
5. Weaken food security by centralizing processing in a few vulnerable plants.

It’s a rigged system. And food freedom rebels know it.

The Corporate Response: Denials, Deals, and Business as Usual

Despite the settlement, neither Tyson nor Cargill admitted guilt. And they’re not alone. JBS, which made $4.3B in profits in a single year, has paid pennies on the dollar in price-fixing settlements across beef, pork, and poultry.

With no executives facing jail time and fines amounting to pocket change, Big Meat treats these lawsuits as just another line item. The message? Collusion pays.

What Regenerative Ranchers Are Doing Differently

While Big Meat plays monopoly, regenerative beef producers are opting out of the game entirely:

• Old Salt Co-op (Montana): Ranchers processing and selling their beef locally — keeping profits and control in their communities.

• Grass Roots Farmers’ Co-op: Direct-to-consumer sales of grass-fed beef and pastured pork nationwide.

• Regional processing hubs: Rancher-owned facilities that cut out the corporate middlemen.

By focusing on soil health, rotational grazing, and transparent pricing, these rebels are reclaiming the value chain — from pasture to plate.

Meet Our Allies: FromTheFarm.org

Rebels don’t ride alone — and one of our most vital allies in the food freedom fight is FromTheFarm.org. They’re building an online marketplace that connects regenerative food producers directly with conscious consumers, cutting out the middlemen and making it easy to support truly sustainable agriculture.

From grass-fed beef to organic vegetables, FromTheFarm.org curates verified regenerative farms so shoppers can confidently buy food that heals land, respects animals, and supports independent farmers. Whether you're a producer ready to list your goods or a consumer hungry for real food with real impact, From The Farm is your digital farmers' market.

If you want your dollars to fund soil regeneration instead of corporate profit margins, this is where you start.

Policy Solutions and What You Can Do

To truly break Big Meat’s grip, we need:

• Stronger antitrust enforcement — including breaking up monopolistic meatpackers.

• Mandatory Country-of-Origin Labeling (COOL) — so consumers know where their beef is from.

• The PRIME Act — to legalize local meat sales across state lines.

• Reforms to the Packers & Stockyards Act — to protect farmers from retaliation and abuse.

And most of all: grassroots action.

Here’s how to fight back:

• Buy local beef from regenerative producers.

• Join a CSA or meat share.

• Support co-ops and independent processors.

• Call your lawmakers and demand competition reform.

• Share this story and help wake others up.

Final Cut: The Tyson and Cargill beef settlement is just the tip of the steak. Until we dismantle the meat monopoly, our food, our farms, and our freedom remain on the chopping block.

Let’s build something better.

Shop Regenerative. Choose Freedom. Stay Rebel.

-Ryan Griggs, The Regenaissance Founder