Trump Opens U.S. to 300,000 Tons of Tariff-Free Beef as Producers Warn of 25% Price Hit
Updated
Updated · Spectrum News · Sep 1
Trump Opens U.S. to 300,000 Tons of Tariff-Free Beef as Producers Warn of 25% Price Hit
3 articles · Updated · Spectrum News · Sep 1
Summary
Up to 300,000 metric tons of foreign beef can enter the U.S. tariff-free starting Sept. 1 under a Trump administration move meant to cut beef prices by 25%.
New York producers and the American Farm Bureau say the policy could undercut cattle prices just as ranchers face the smallest beef cow inventory since 1971 and production costs nearly 30% higher than in 2020.
The 90-day import window also overlaps with the period when 70% of spring-born calves arrive, raising concerns it could discourage herd rebuilding and deepen uncertainty over whether producers should expand.
USDA is still finalizing a stricter “Product of the USA” label, leaving state officials warning that imported beef on shelves could still confuse consumers about where meat was born, raised and processed.