Today, Farm Action released an analysis of the first 30 days of President Donald Trump’s expanded beef import quota, which shows little relief for consumers while American cattle producers face steep price declines, according to data the farmer-led organization tracked.
In August 2026, Trump announced a plan to allow up to 300,000 metric tons of additional lean beef imports at a lower tariff over 90 days. He promised the imports, which he said would sell at 25% below market prices, would substantially lower ground beef prices for American families while allowing the U.S. cattle herd to grow.
After 30 days, Farm Action found that the national average price of ground beef declined from $6.92 to $6.79 per pound, a reduction of less than 2%. For American cattle producers, the hit has been much harder. Since the policy took effect, prices ranchers receive for cows used in ground beef have fallen up to 13.9%.
These falling prices paid to domestic ranchers threaten to squeeze profitability and discourage investment in rebuilding the U.S. cattle herd, which has fallen to historic lows.
Pressure on cattle ranchers could intensify as more imports arrive. If this plan continues to lower prices for American cattle producers without delivering meaningful savings to consumers, it risks undermining the very industry it has pledged to support.
Farm Action warned that additional imports risk hurting domestic cattle producers without addressing the underlying problems driving high beef prices. In June, the organization issued a seven-point rancher-backed report outlining policy recommendations to lower beef prices while supporting U.S. ranchers, including addressing market concentration, strengthening competition, and investing in domestic cattle production.
“The first 30 days raise serious questions about whether this policy is actually delivering on its promises,” said Sarah Carden, senior director of research and policy at Farm Action. “Ranchers are seeing steep declines in the prices they receive, and consumers still haven’t seen clear, meaningful relief at the grocery store. We can’t rebuild America’s cattle herd by undermining the producers who raise our cattle. If the administration wants to make beef more affordable, it needs to address the lack of competition in the beef supply chain and invest in a stronger domestic cattle industry—not put the burden on American ranchers.”
Farm Action will continue tracking prices across the beef supply chain and release updates at the 60- and 90-day marks to assess whether the policy delivers meaningful savings for consumers or further harms American cattle producers.
Media Contact: Emma Nicolas, [email protected], 202-450-0094
