Affordable Beef Starts With American Ranchers

President Trump is right to recognize the pressure record-high beef prices are placing on American families, and the need for action to bring relief at the checkout line. Allowing up to 300,000 metric tons of ground beef to enter the country tariff-free for 90 days, with a commitment that the imported beef be sold at 25% below current market prices, is a meaningful step toward addressing the immediate strain. But the forces driving today’s beef prices have been building for years, and creating a more affordable, resilient American beef supply will require looking beyond short-term fixes to the long-term health of our cattle industry.

After more than 50 years raising cattle at White Oak Pastures, I am acutely aware that restoring America’s cattle herd and stabilizing our beef supply is a generational endeavor. Persistent drought, rising costs, and broader economic pressures have made rebuilding the herd increasingly difficult for many American cattle producers. While a 90-day policy window may provide meaningful relief right now, rebuilding the nation’s cattle supply cannot happen overnight. Cattle production operates on a years-long cycle, and creating lasting stability for producers and consumers will require sustained attention and a long-term commitment to American agriculture.

President Trump accurately identified the underlying crisis: the United States is operating with its smallest cattle herd in decades. Reversing that decline will require giving American ranchers the confidence and stability to begin rebuilding, particularly as Americans’ demand for beef remains strong. Today’s high prices reflect that fundamental imbalance, with demand continuing to outpace the available supply. That is why it is encouraging to see renewed attention on the health of America’s cattle industry and the need to rebuild our domestic herd.

It is particularly promising to see Mandatory Country-of-Origin Labeling (MCOOL) once again receiving serious consideration – and I strongly advocate for it. MCOOL can be an important part of strengthening American cattle production. Right now, as we look to imports to help meet demand, Americans should know where their beef was raised, giving them the ability to make an informed choice at the grocery store and intentionally support American ranchers.

Achieving sustainable beef prices will require a long-term vision that makes rebuilding herds a viable investment for American ranchers. That means creating more stable market conditions, strengthening independent processors, and expanding opportunities for American cattle producers to compete and thrive. Renewed attention to America’s beef industry creates an opportunity to address these structural challenges alongside the immediate need for consumer relief at the grocery store checkout.

At White Oak Pastures, where my family and I have spent decades building a vertically integrated, regenerative farming model, we have seen firsthand what long-term investment in American agriculture can make possible. Investing in local processing and domestic infrastructure has allowed us to build greater resilience into our operation while supporting jobs and economic opportunity in our rural community. Our model may not be right for every rancher, but one lesson has become clear over the years: if we want a stronger American beef supply, we have to invest in the people and infrastructure that produce it.

President Trump’s focus on making beef more affordable for working families is important, and the renewed attention on our beef supply is welcome. Now we have an opportunity to build on that momentum by ensuring short-term relief goes hand in hand with the long-term stability American ranchers need. If we want an affordable, reliable beef supply for generations to come, we need to create the conditions for American cattle producers not just to recover, but thrive.

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Will Harris is the owner of White Oak Pastures and a fourth-generation cattle rancher.