On Aug. 21, President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social the United States will allow up to 300,000 metric tons of ground beef to be imported over the next three months without being subject to out-of-quota tariffs.
“This deal will reduce prices for Americans while giving space for our great American beef herd to grow again,” the post read in part.
In the post, Trump said the importers had agreed the ground beef would be sold at 25% below current market prices. Trump did not identify the companies that made the pricing commitment or the foreign beef exporters involved. The White House said Trump will formally sign an executive order waiving tariffs on beef trimmings imports within the next two weeks.
The announcement comes as lawmakers face concerns about the affordability of everyday goods, including beef, ahead of the mid-term elections. U.S. beef prices have risen sharply in 2026 as the nation’s cattle herd has declined following years of drought, high feed costs and herd liquidation. The size of the U.S. cattle herd is at its lowest level since the 1950s.
Beef industry response
Several agricultural organizations have criticized Trump’s announcement. National Cattlemen’s Beef Association CEO Colin Woodall condemned the tariff waiver, saying it would not address Trump’s goal of increasing the size of the U.S. cattle herd.
“NCBA is disappointed by the President’s statement. While America’s cattle producers share the goal of keeping groceries affordable for consumers, flooding the market with government-subsidized, below-market beef is not the way to rebuild the American cattle herd. Cattle markets have already turned sharply lower this morning, to the detriment of farmers and ranchers. This is a critical time of year for cattle producers, as we approach the season where they are making decisions regarding their herds. Cattle farmers and ranchers are responding to strong market signals and historically high demand, and we are already working to rebuild after years of ongoing drought, high input costs and other challenges that have reduced U.S. cattle numbers. Today’s announcement and other market interventions throw cold water on the prospect of herd expansion and sacrifices long-term stability for short term messaging.”
Kansas Farmer Bureau President Glenn Brunkow also denounced Trump’s plan, calling it anti-American.
“The answer to increasing prices in grocery stores isn’t selling out American farmers and ranchers to buy votes in November,” Brunkow said. “I know we all want lower prices at the grocery store, but President Trump’s plan to increase beef imports would have serious long-term consequences for Kansas ranchers and consumers. Free markets are the best way to ensure a safe, nutritious, and affordable beef supply. President Trump’s call to sell foreign beef below market prices is bad for consumers, destructive for ranchers and anti-American in principle. I strongly urge the president to reconsider this initiative and will gladly work with the administration to identify ways to support American cattle producers and expand the domestic herd to meet demand.”
Lacey Vilhauer can be reached at 620-227-1871 or [email protected].
