Trump waives beef tariffs on 300,000 tons of ground beef imports
Why it matters: The move aims to ease high grocery prices, but cattle producers warned it could hurt ranchers and delay herd rebuilding.
President Donald Trump said the United States will let up to 300,000 metric tons of imported product for ground beef enter over the next three months without out-of-quota tariffs, as beef prices remain elevated after years of drought, high feed costs and herd liquidation shrank the national cattle herd. Trump said the arrangement included a commitment to sell the beef at 25% below current market prices, but he did not identify the companies or importers involved. The National Cattlemen's Beef Association criticized the move, saying it would pressure cattle markets and undermine incentives to expand herds. Economist Altin Kalo of Steiner Consulting Group said the tariff change was unlikely to meaningfully lower retail ground beef prices.