ADDRESSING BEEF AFFORDABILITY WITH TARGETED ACTION: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed a Proclamation to temporarily increase the quantity of lean beef trimmings that are imported with no above-quota tariff to ensure affordable beef for American consumers in light of current supply challenges. This action includes key safeguards to maximize cost savings while protecting American ranchers from foreign imports and giving space for American ranchers to grow the domestic herd.
The Proclamation temporarily expands the existing quantity of lean beef trimmings that are subject to an in-quota tariff rate, to produce ground beef, allowing trading partners eligible to ship beef to the United States to take advantage of lower, in-quota tariff rates. This expanded quota has the following limitations: It only applies for 90 days, beginning on September 1, 2026. It only allows 100,000 tons per month. (USDA projects U. S. beef production in 2026 to be over 11 million tons. ) It only applies to lean beef trimmings to combine with U. S.
beef for ground beef. It encourages beef to be sold at a 25% discount from the going import price. The Proclamation does not modify any commitments related to beef for countries with a free trade agreement with the United States, and does not apply to countries with country-specific beef quotas. FURTHER RESPONDING TO REDUCED U. S. BEEF AVAILABILITY AND HIGHER DOMESTIC DEMAND: President Trump is taking decisive action to respond to market disruptions and natural disasters in order to ensure adequate supply and affordable prices of beef products for American families.
The Biden administration put American agriculture last and delivered one of its most severe beef supply crises in decades, with domestic cattle herds at their lowest level in 75 years. Years of pursuing radical climate activists’ misguided policies and inciting inflation that left farmers with historically high input costs…