Trump announces plan to lower beef prices, but ranchers and some Republicans are already balking
- Trump said his administration will temporarily allow more beef imports into the U.S. without triggering higher tariffs.
- The plan would permit up to 300,000 metric tons of ground beef to be imported over the next 90 days under the tariff relief.
- The White House said the imported beef would come from foreign exporters that agreed to sell at a 25% discount from current market rates.
- Cattle producers and several conservative Republicans said the move could hurt ranchers by pushing down cattle prices and weakening the U.S. herd-building incentive.
- One agricultural economist said 300,000 metric tons is a relatively small share of annual U.S. beef consumption and may not move prices much.
- The White House said Trump plans to formalize the directive in an executive order within two weeks.
President Donald Trump said Friday that his administration will temporarily open the U.S. market to more beef imports without the higher tariffs that would normally apply once a quota is exceeded. The plan covers up to 300,000 metric tons of ground beef over the next 90 days, and the White House said the foreign suppliers involved have agreed to sell at a 25% discount from current market levels.
The announcement drew quick criticism from cattle producers and some Republican lawmakers from rural states. They said cheaper imports could pressure cattle prices and undermine ranchers who are already benefiting from stronger profits after years of tight supply. Sen. Deb Fischer of Nebraska said lower grocery prices should not come at the expense of American producers.
Trump said the administration was trying to bring down beef prices for consumers, while acknowledging that ranchers have done a good job. A White House official said the imported product would be lean beef trimmings used in ground beef production, and Trump said he expects to issue an executive order formalizing the plan within two weeks.
For markets, the immediate effect appears limited and likely neutral overall, though it could be mildly negative for cattle producers and beef-related pricing. One Kansas State University professor said the volume involved is relatively small compared with total U.S. consumption, while another economist questioned how much beef could realistically be redirected into the U.S. in such a short period.
特朗普宣布降低牛肉价格计划，但牧场主和一些共和党人已表示反对
特朗普周五表示，政府将暂时向美国市场开放更多牛肉进口，并且不会像通常那样在超过配额后征收更高关税。该计划涉及未来90天内最多30万吨碎牛肉，白宫称参与的外国出口商已同意按当前市场价格下调25%出售。
这一决定迅速遭到牧场主和一些来自农村州的共和党议员反对。他们认为，廉价进口可能压低牛价，影响牧场主，而这些牧场主在供应紧张后正经历少见的盈利期。内布拉斯加州参议员菲舍尔表示，降低杂货价格不应以牺牲美国生产者为代价。
特朗普表示，政府此举是为了压低消费者端的牛肉价格，同时也承认牧场主做得很好。白宫官员称，进口产品将是用于制作碎牛肉的瘦牛肉碎料；特朗普说，他预计会在两周内签署行政令，使这项措施正式生效。
对市场而言，这一举措的直接影响看起来有限，整体偏中性，但对养牛业和牛肉价格可能略偏利空。堪萨斯州立大学一名教授表示，涉及的数量相对于美国总消费来说并不大；另一名经济学者则质疑，在这么短时间内，其他国家是否真能把如此多的牛肉转向美国。