‘Groceries are too high!’ Thomas Massie says PRIME Act could lower beef and pork costs, but not overnight. Will it work?

Thomas Kent

Mon, August 10, 2026 at 6:50 PM GMT+3 8 min read

Nathan Posner/ Getty Images

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For millions of Americans, the weekly grocery trip has become an exercise in sticker shock.

Beef prices have climbed sharply in recent years, forcing many families to swap steaks for cheaper cuts, or abandon beef altogether. Now Rep. Thomas Massie, R-KY., says one of the bills he's spent the most time championing could help bring those prices back down.

"Groceries are too high!" Massie wrote on X (1) on Aug. 4, responding to right-wing commentator Matt Walsh. "The bill I've spent the most effort on since I've been in office is the PRIME Act… to lower beef & pork prices while giving farmers more opportunity."

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The Kentucky congressman added that the proposal now has bipartisan cosponsors and a pilot program included in the new farm bill.

What the PRIME Act would do

The Processing Revival and Intrastate Meat Exemption (2) (PRIME) Act would amend the Federal Meat Inspection Act to exempt certain meat processed at custom slaughter facilities from federal inspection requirements, provided those facilities comply with state law and the meat is sold only within that state.

Additionally, it would allow meat to be sold directly to household consumers, grocery stores, restaurants and other local businesses.

The measure would give smaller livestock producers more processing options, theoretically increasing local competition and reducing dependence on a relatively small number of large meatpacking companies.

And Massie has been making that case for years.

"Beef is getting expensive," he wrote on X (3) in July 2025. "Herd cow inventory in the U.S.A. is the lowest it's been in 70 years!"

Then, like now, he explained how the PRIME Act would take pressure off the problem.

"My PRIME Act won't fix this overnight, but it will provide affordable healthy choices for consumers and a path to profitability for family farms."

The bill also makes clear that states would retain authority over their own meat processing laws rather than having those rules preempted by the federal government.

Could it actually lower grocery prices?

Greater competition among processors might make it easier for some local farmers to bring meat to market and, in certain regions, increase supply available to consumers.

But beef prices are influenced by much larger forces as well, like cattle inventories, feed costs, drought conditions, labor shortages, transportation expenses and consumer demand.

Whether or not the PRIME Act becomes law, grocery prices aren't likely to fall immediately. While supporters say the legislation could expand competition among meat processors and create more opportunities for local farmers, beef prices are also shaped by market forces.

That means many households could continue to feel pressure on their budgets. The Federal Reserve's latest Survey of Household Economics and Decisionmaking (4) found that price increases remain the most common financial concern among Americans, while measures of savings and retirement preparedness remain below where they stood in 2021.

One approach is to tackle the problem from both sides: building a diversified portfolio that can better withstand periods of inflation while also finding ways to stretch every dollar in the monthly budget.

Invest in farmland

Some investors have turned to farmland as a way to diversify beyond traditional stocks and bonds. Unlike many financial assets, farmland is tied to the production of food.

Food prices may be frustrating shoppers, but they're tied to the long-term value of one often-overlooked asset: farmland.

Because demand for food doesn't disappear during economic downturns, agricultural land is a way to diversify your portfolio while helping guard against inflation.

FarmTogether strips away the headache of buying or managing acres yourself, giving accredited investors direct entry into professionally managed U.S. farmland. Whether you're targeting specific properties or looking for diversified funds across a variety of crop types, the platform handles the heavy lifting for you.

The numbers speak to their selectivity: FarmTogether currently manages over $217 million in assets spanning nearly 7,000 acres, a result of a rigorous due diligence process that approves fewer than 1% of the opportunities they review.

If you're ready to see how this time-tested asset class could strengthen your portfolio, visit FarmTogether to see if it aligns with your investment goals.

Generate passive income through rental properties

Rental properties are another income stream investors often consider when inflation remains elevated.

Rental properties can provide steady revenues that may help offset rising living costs while also offering the potential for long-term appreciation. However, buying and managing an investment property requires significant capital and ongoing maintenance — that is, if you buy physical property.

Today, you don't need to buy physical property to get your start in rentals. You can tap into this market by investing in shares of rental properties through Arrived.

Backed by world-class investors, including Jeff Bezos, Arrived lets you invest in shares of rental properties and earn passive income without the extra work that comes with being a landlord.

To get started, simply browse through their selection of vetted properties, each picked for their potential appreciation and income generation. Once you choose a property, you can start investing with as little as $100.

Plus, for a limited time, when you open an account and add $1,000 or more, Arrived will credit your account with a 1% match.

Diversify with precious metals

You could also look to precious metals during periods of persistent inflation and economic uncertainty.

Gold has long been viewed as a potential store of value because it doesn't depend on a company's earnings or the performance of the broader stock market. While it doesn't generate income like farmland or rental properties, some investors hold gold as a hedge against inflation and market volatility.

If you're curious about adding precious metals to your broader inflation-hedging strategy, a gold IRA from Goldco lets you hold physical gold and other metals while still getting the tax advantages of an IRA.

With a minimum purchase of $10,000, Goldco offers free shipping and access to a library of retirement resources. What's more, the company will match up to 10% of qualified purchases in free silver.

If you're curious whether this is the right investment to diversify your portfolio, you can download your free gold and silver information guide today. Just keep in mind that gold is typically best used as one part of a well-balanced portfolio.

Get on top of your budget

Not everyone has extra cash available to invest while grocery prices remain elevated. In those cases, the fastest way to improve your finances is often just to understand where your money is going.

Budgeting apps like Monarch Money can help households track spending across categories, identify recurring subscriptions and monitor whether food costs are beginning to crowd out savings goals.

You can also add separate or joint accounts to your dashboard, which can be great for tracking grocery runs for couples or helping your child get used to big-picture financial planning as parents.

And the best part? Monarch Money offers a seven-day free trial so you can see if it's right for you. If you like what you see, you could then snag 50% off your first year with code WISE50.

This can free up money for an extra pound of beef or, potentially, to invest in passive income-generating strategies like some of those discussed above.

Build a plan that fits your goals

Whether you're considering farmland, real estate, gold or simply looking for ways to better manage rising grocery bills, there's no one-size-fits-all solution.

A financial advisor can help evaluate how inflation fits into your broader financial picture, identify opportunities to diversify your portfolio and develop a long-term strategy that reflects your income, goals and tolerance for risk.

But hiring an advisor can be a lifelong commitment, which might make or break your retirement. That's why finding reliable advisors is crucial — and where Advisor.com can come in, connecting you with an expert near you, for free.

Advisor.com does the heavy lifting for you, vetting advisors based on track record, client ratios and regulatory background. Plus, their network comprises fiduciaries, who are legally required to act in your best interests.

Just enter a few details about your finances and goals, and Advisor.com's AI-powered matching tool will connect you with a qualified expert best suited for your needs based on your unique financial goals and preferences.

Finding the right advisor isn't always easy — there's no one-size-fits-all solution. That's why Advisor.com lets you set up a free initial consultation, with no obligation to hire, to see if they're the right fit for you.