The United States will allow up to 300,000 metric tons of product used for ground beef to enter during the next 90 days without the higher out-of-quota tariff, President Donald Trump announced Friday. The temporary measure is intended to expand supply and lower grocery costs as beef prices remain near records, but it immediately drew opposition from domestic cattle producers.
Trump said foreign suppliers had committed to price the imported product 25 percent below current market levels. A White House official told news organizations that the imports would consist of lean beef trimmings used in ground-beef production and that a formal executive action is expected within two weeks. The supplying countries and the mechanism for transmitting the claimed discount to shoppers were not specified.
The tariff-rate quota system applies a low duty to beef entering within assigned volumes and a much higher rate after those limits are reached. American Farm Bureau Federation analysis says in-quota imports generally face a duty of 4.4 cents per kilogram, while above-quota shipments face a 26.4 percent tariff. The new allowance would therefore reduce the cost barrier for a sizable additional volume during the temporary window.
The policy responds to a tight cattle market. The U.S. herd remains near historic lows after years of drought, expensive feed and producer contraction, while demand has stayed resilient. Restrictions on Mexican cattle linked to the New World screwworm and a 50 percent U.S. tariff on Brazilian goods have added pressure. USDA currently forecasts 2026 beef imports at 6.059 billion pounds and has raised its annual steer-price outlook.
Producer groups warned that discounted imports could weaken cattle prices and discourage ranchers from rebuilding the herd. The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association said short-term imports risk undermining longer-term stability, and several lawmakers from cattle states also objected. Retail prices may not fall by the full advertised amount because exporters do not control the margins charged by processors, distributors and supermarkets.
For consumers, the initiative is an unusually direct attempt to address food inflation ahead of the November midterm elections. Its effect will depend on which exporters participate, how quickly shipments arrive and how much of the lower import cost reaches store shelves. The administration says it is also working with ranchers to expand domestic production, while the forthcoming order should clarify the quota rules, eligible products and enforcement of the 90-day plan.
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