The Biden Administration announced in September 2021 a plan to increase competition in the meat-processing industry to lower food prices for American families. The detailed plan can be found on the website https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefingroom/blog/2021/09/08/addressing-concentration-in-the-meat-processing-industry-to-lowerfood-prices-for-american-families.

The North American Meat Industry claimed that labour shortage, instead of industry concentration, is the main reason leading to food prices. https://www.meatinstitute.org/ht/display/ReleaseDetails/i/200243 Page

Tyson Foods, one of the largest meat processors in North America, stated that the increase in food prices is due to unprecedented market conditions (pandemic together with severe weather conditions). Tyson Foods statement can be found on the website: https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2021/09/08/2293881/7106/en/Tyson-

FoodsCategorically-Rejects-Conclusions-Drawn-by-White-House.html How would you characterize the nature of competition in the North American meat processing industry? Is industry concentration the main reason leading to rising food prices? Why or why not? Are the stories the same for the individual (beef, pork, and poultry) meat processing industries?