On Friday, President Trump issued two Executive Orders (EOs) intended to bolster the beef industry. One of these, titled “Supporting American Ranchers,” outlines the President’s support for six distinct policy initiatives already underway at the agencies.
The Executive Orders largely contain a summary of initiatives underway as a result of the Directive to Restore Grazing on National Forest Lands and Strengthen Support for America’s Ranchers, the Ranchers First Initiatives to Rebuild the Great American Beef Herd, and USDA’s Plan for Fortifying the Beef Industry.
Success now depends on successful implementation of these ongoing policy work. Producers require timely action and measurable results, and
Section 1 of the EO details previous actions taken by the Administration to support ranchers. These include enforcing voluntary “Product of USA” labeling requirements so that American ranchers receive proper recognition for products raised domestically; mapping over 2 million additional acres of grazing land managed by the Department of the Interior; identifying nearly 1.6 million acres of vacant allotments managed by the U.S. Forest Service to make them available for federal grazing permit applications across the West; rescinding burdensome Biden-era regulations that imposed significant compliance costs for speculative environmental gains; and enacting tax policy changes favorable to ranchers, such as reducing estate taxes and accelerating expensing and depreciation provisions.
Section 2 directs federal departments and agencies to review existing regulations and identify opportunities to reduce regulatory burdens and eliminate unnecessary bureaucratic red tape impacting ranchers and the beef industry as a whole.
Section 3 focuses on wolf management and depredation issues affecting livestock producers. Within 90 days, the Secretary of the Interior is directed to determine whether the gray wolf and Mexican wolf have met recovery criteria for delisting or downlisting under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and, if appropriate, begin that process. The Order also calls for development of legislative recommendations to fully delist or downlist both species, encourages coordination with states to remove wolves from state protected species lists where appropriate, and seeks revisions to state standards governing the lethal take of wolves to better address livestock predation. Additionally, the Order directs the Departments of the Interior and Agriculture to review producer compensation programs and depredation investigation standards, including consideration of evidence beyond subcutaneous hemorrhaging when evaluating livestock losses. Finally, the Order calls for a review of federal policies governing lethal wolf removal to improve responsiveness to threats involving human safety and livestock.
Section 4 instructs USDA and the U.S. Trade Representative to review their legal authority regarding Mandatory Country of Origin Labeling (MCOOL) for beef and provide regulatory and legislative recommendations within 90 days. While this signals heightened Administration interest in MCOOL and a potentially expanded federal role in beef marketing, it does not enact immediate policy changes, because any sort of change in this marketing label would require an act of Congress.
Sections 5 and 6 address implementation and administrative matters. Notably, Section 6 clarifies that the Order does not alter existing agency authorities, remains subject to applicable law and available funding, creates no new legal rights or causes of action.
PLC has worked extensively to raise awareness about the effects of gray wolf and Mexican wolf predation on livestock producers. PLC successfully advocated for APHIS Wildlife Services to revise its standards of evidence for confirming depredation by Mexican wolves, moving away from sole reliance on subcutaneous hemorrhaging as a determining factor. PLC also brought producers before Congress to testify about the impacts of Mexican wolf depredation and the growing challenges from gray wolf populations. These efforts helped advance the Pet and Livestock Protection Act through the House of Representatives, and PLC’s focus now shifts to securing Senate action. PLC continues its three-pronged approach to wolf delisting: working with Congress to enact statutory reforms, encouraging the Administration to pursue delisting, and defending the prior delisting rule through ongoing litigation.
Click HERE to view the White House Fact Sheet.
The other EO titled “Promoting Fair Competition in Livestock Markets and Expanding Market Access for American Meat Producers” would implement:
- Enforcement of Packers & Stockyards Act
- Streamline process for state participation in FSIS programs
- Promote the SPUR loan program
