WASHINGTON — A key Democratic senator on Tuesday urged the Justice Department to block the purchase of two U.S. meatpackers by Brazilian beef processor JBS Swift.
The acquisitions would make JBS Swift the largest beef processor in the U.S. and could harm domestic cattle ranchers and beef consumers by substantially reducing competition, Sen. Herb Kohl, D-Wis., wrote in a letter to Thomas Barnett, the head of the Justice Department’s antitrust division.
JBS Swift said in March that it would acquire Kansas City- based National Beef Packing Co. and the beef-processing operations of Smithfield Foods Inc., which is based in Smithfield, Va.
JBS Swift became the third- largest beef processor in the U.S. after purchasing Greeley- based Swift & Co. last year.
