WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Donald J. Trump on Friday signed a proclamation temporarily expanding imports of lean beef trimmings, a move the White House says is aimed at boosting supply and easing soaring ground beef prices that have strained household grocery budgets nationwide.
The proclamation raises the U.S. tariff-rate quota for lean beef trimmings by allowing an additional 80,000 metric tons per year from Argentina to enter the country tariff-free. The imports will be phased in through four quarterly tranches of 20,000 metric tons each, according to the White House.
Administration officials said the action is designed to shore up supplies of ground beef amid a historic downturn in domestic production. The U.S. cattle herd has fallen to a record low of 86.2 million head as of January 2026, with beef cow inventories down 8.6 percent since 2020. Years of drought and widespread wildfires have reduced grazing land and feed availability, forcing ranchers to cut back herds and output.
Supply pressures have been compounded by restrictions on cattle imports from Mexico following detections of New World Screwworm, a livestock parasite U.S. officials say required swift action to protect domestic herds but also tightened feedlot inventories.
Those factors have pushed prices sharply higher. Ground beef averaged $6.69 per pound in December 2025, the highest level since federal tracking began in the 1980s, according to administration data. The United States remains the world’s largest beef consumer by volume and ranks second globally in per-capita consumption, underscoring beef’s central role in the American diet.
Under the proclamation, the Secretary of Agriculture, working in consultation with the U.S. Trade Representative, will continue monitoring domestic supplies and imports and advise the president on whether additional steps are needed to maintain adequate availability.
The administration framed the move as part of a broader strategy to lower food costs while supporting ranchers. The White House cited tax legislation signed in July 2025, regulatory rollbacks it says have saved Americans an estimated $180 billion, and executive actions aimed at curbing price-fixing and anti-competitive behavior in the food supply chain.
Officials also pointed to measures announced in October 2025 to strengthen the domestic beef industry and reduce risk for cattle producers, calling ranchers a critical component of national food security.
The temporary import expansion is intended to remain in effect while supply challenges persist, with officials emphasizing that the goal is to stabilize prices for consumers without undermining long-term investment and production in the U.S. cattle industry.
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