President Donald Trump is temporarily waiving higher tariffs on imported ground beef as consumers face historically high prices at the grocery store.
The Trump administration announced that the U.S. will allow up to 300,000 metric tons of imported ground beef to enter the country without the higher out-of-quota tariff for the next 90 days.
Trump said the move is intended to increase the supply of beef and bring down prices for consumers. He also said he has a commitment that the imported beef will be sold for 25% below current market prices.
The policy comes as ground beef prices have climbed sharply in recent years.
Ground beef prices remain historically high
According to federal labor data cited by the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, ground beef averaged $6.89 per pound in July.
That’s a 57% increase compared with five years ago.
The USDA says easing the tariffs will help address beef affordability while consumer demand remains high.
Oklahoma cattle producers push back
The Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association is urging Trump to rescind the policy immediately.
The association called the move “extremely bad policy at exactly the wrong time for Oklahoma cattle producers.”
The group says the nation’s historically low cattle herd needs confidence and investment as producers work to rebuild the beef supply.
The association argues that allowing more imported beef into the country could add uncertainty to the cattle market and undermine producers who are investing in rebuilding their herds.
Oklahoma cattle industry represents thousands of ranch families
The Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association represents about 5,000 Oklahoma ranch families.
The group says it supports policies that encourage American cattle producers to rebuild the nation’s beef supply rather than policies it says could make it more difficult for producers to recover.
The association’s concerns come as cattle producers across the country work to rebuild a U.S. herd that has reached historically low levels.
Trump administration has targeted beef prices before
The temporary tariff waiver is not the administration’s first effort to increase beef imports and address rising prices.
In February, Trump signed an executive order aimed at boosting imports from Argentina by 80,000 metric tons.
The latest policy allows up to 300,000 metric tons of imported ground beef to enter without the higher tariff for 90 days.
