- President Donald Trump has announced a plan to allow up to 300,000 metric tons of imported lean beef trimmings into the United States over the next 90 days without triggering higher out-of-quota tariffs as he seeks to address affordability issues ahead of the November midterms.
- The administration says the imported beef would be sold at 25% below current market rates through a deal with foreign exporters, with an executive order formalizing the measure expected within two weeks. The decision drew immediate criticism from rural-state conservative Republicans, including Senator Tim Sheehy of Montana who argued the policy would harm American ranching families.
- “I’ve advised President Trump against this course of action for a year because American ranchers have been struggling against the packer monopoly for decades, and this will further harm them — most of whom are MAGA Republicans,” Sheehy, a Trump ally, said after the president's announcement.
- He said Trump's “heart is in the right place” but the plan will “make it more difficult for American ranchers to rebuild our herd and bring prices down for the American people. And most importantly, this will harm our ranching families who feed the nation.”
- Cattle industry representatives, including R-CALF USA CEO Bill Bullard, warned that expanding foreign imports exacerbates the long-term decline in domestic cattle inventory by creating market uncertainty that deters local ranchers from investing to rebuild their herds.
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