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90-Day Beef Tariff Pause
President Donald Trump said on Friday the United States will allow up to 300,000 metric tons of ground beef to be imported for the next 90 days with no out-of-quota tariff, aiming to lower prices as U.S. consumers face higher grocery bills.
“Trump will sign an executive order within the next two weeks expanding by 300,000 metric tons”
Trump said the imported beef would be sold at 25% below current market prices, and a White House official told ABC News that an executive order would be signed within the next two weeks.
The plan is tied to a broader supply squeeze, with Reuters reporting U.S. cattle inventories at their lowest in 75 years after ranchers slashed herds due to a years-long drought that burned grazing lands and hiked feed costs.
Reuters also reported that cattle producers warned the move would hurt efforts to rebuild herds and that economists said it would have little effect on prices.
Independent trader Dan Norcini said, "This is just a drop in the bucket," arguing it does nothing to fix the reduced supply of cattle in the U.S.
Ranchers Push Back
Cattle groups and rancher representatives reacted sharply, with the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association warning that flooding the market with below-market beef is not the way to rebuild the American cattle herd.
NCBA CEO Colin Woodall said in a statement, "flooding the market with government-subsidized, below-market beef is not the way to rebuild the American cattle herd," while United States Cattlemen’s Association President Justin Tupper said, "You don’t put America first by putting U.S. cattle producers last."
ABC News reported that Republican Montana Sen. Tim Sheehy advised Trump "against this course of action for a year," arguing the move would make it more difficult for American ranchers to rebuild their herd.
ABC News also quoted Republican Nebraska Sen. Pete Ricketts saying, "flooding the market with lower quality beef compromises Nebraska farmers and ranchers."
Reuters reported that cattle futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange tumbled to eight-month lows on Friday after the announcement, underscoring the immediate market reaction.
Midterms and Market Stakes
The tariff pause is positioned as a short-term affordability measure ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, with Forbes describing Trump’s announcement as coming as he logs low approval ratings on the economy and cost of living.
“Big Number $13.06. That’s how much Americans are paying per pound for ground beef”
Forbes reported that ground beef prices rose to a record high of $6.89 a pound in July amid a shortage of cattle, and it cited U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data showing Americans paying $13.06 per pound for ground beef.
Reuters said the policy would be in effect for 90 days and that it could extend beyond the midterm elections, while ABC News described it as a "short-term" action to allow "foreign imports to fill a gap to meet domestic ground beef demand at affordable prices."
ABC News also reported that Ethan Lane, the top lobbyist for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, told the network, "We have a lot of frustrated producers today, a lot folks that feel like this isn't what they voted for."
The stakes for producers are tied to herd rebuilding timelines, and Reuters quoted Dan Norcini saying the core issue is "a greatly reduced supply of cattle here in the U.S. That will take time"—a concern that the temporary tariff relief could leave prices vulnerable when tariffs return.