In Effort to Boost Affordability, Trump Signs Proclamation Importing Foreign Beef

President Donald Trump signed a proclamation Wednesday afternoon to increase foreign imports of beef in an effort to lower beef prices ahead of midterms.

Trump is temporarily removing tariffs from 300,000 metric tons of imported lean beef trimmings for 90 days. According to the proclamation, the countries supplying the beef would sell it at 25% below current market prices.

The move drew criticism from lawmakers, agriculture groups, and cattle producers, who fear it will hurt farmers and reduce demand for U.S. beef.

Trump previewed the plan Friday on Truth Social, saying: “This deal will reduce prices for Americans while giving space for our Great American Beef Herd to grow again.”

The administration has not revealed which countries it will import beef from. When asked by reporters, Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins said she was not “privy” to such conversations.

Members of Congress from states that rely on agriculture have raised concerns about how the plan will affect constituents.

Sen. Pete Ricketts, R-Neb., said he appreciates the administration’s focus on grocery prices, but “short term policy shifts do not equal long term solutions.”

U.S. Cattlemen’s Association President Justin Tupper said “You don’t put America first by putting U.S. cattle producers last.”

“This move will weaken our markets and gamble with food safety in the process,” he said.