White House Fact Sheet Offers More Information on Trump Beef Plan Starting Monday, September First

The White House has released some specifics about the proposal by President Trump to make ground beef for the US Consumer a little cheaper. His post on the Truth platform roiled the futures market Friday August 21st and continues to be the focus of criticism by cattle producers across the United States. The President’s proclamation declares “because of recent circumstances, beef prices have increased unreasonably for United States consumers; that imports into the United States of certain beef products, including lean beef trimmings, are currently subject to the United States tariff-rate quota (TRQ) for beef; and that the United States supply of lean beef trimmings or directly competitive or substitutable agricultural products will be inadequate to meet domestic demand at reasonable prices because of a natural disaster and major national market disruption.”

According to the Fact Sheet:

“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.”

Read the full Fact Sheet by clicking here.

Read the full Presidential proclamation by clicking here.

Above photo from White House website.