Pull to refresh
Logo
What Changed
Following Why Sign Up
Trump administration suspends ground beef import tariffs for 90 days

Trump administration suspends ground beef import tariffs for 90 days

Rule Changes

Third tranche opened Nov. 2; about a fifth of the quota arrived by Oct. 19 and rancher prices fell nearly 20%

Yesterday: Farm Action finds rancher prices down nearly 20%

Overview

Updated 8 hours ago

the third 100,000-ton tranche was scheduled to open Oct. 31 Through Oct. 19, 59,423 metric tons had entered, about a fifth of the 300,000-ton quota.

Farm Action's 60-day review, released Nov. 10, said ranchers are getting nearly 20% less for cattle used in ground beef, about $319 a head. Retail ground beef averaged $6.79 a pound in September, down from August but above $6.32 a year earlier, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported. A bipartisan House bill to nullify the program is still pending.

Why it matters

Trump promised imported beef 25% below market. With a month left, a fifth had arrived, store prices barely moved, and ranchers lost nearly 20%.

Questions about this story

Free account needed to ask — your question is kept and asked for you right after sign-up. Answers are public.

No questions yet — be the first to ask.

Key Indicators

59,423
Metric tons entered through Oct. 19
About 20% of the 300,000-ton quota, per U.S. Customs and Border Protection data.
20%
Share of quota filled through Oct. 19
The program remains far behind its 300,000-ton target with a month to go.
37,486
Metric tons entered in September
About 37.5% of the first 100,000-ton tranche, per Customs and Border Protection data.
300,000
Metric tons added to 2026 beef import quota
Three tranches of 100,000 metric tons of lean beef trimmings at lower duty rates.
25%
Target discount below market
Trump's stated target for imported trimmings. Farm Action found consumer savings under 2% after the first 30 days.
Nearly 20%
Rancher price decline
Farm Action's 60-day analysis found prices for cattle used in ground beef fell nearly 20%, about $319 a head.
$6.79
Average retail ground beef per pound, September
Bureau of Labor Statistics average for 100% ground beef; down from $6.92 in August, up from $6.32 a year earlier.
90
Program duration
Additional in-quota access runs from Sept. 1 to Nov. 30, 2026.

Voices

Curated perspectives — historical figures and your fellow readers.

Sign up to generate historical perspectives on this story.

Log in Sign Up

People Involved

Donald Trump
Donald Trump
President of the United States
Has signaled the import program will not be extended beyond November; the White House says it is not terminating it early
 Joesley Batista
Joesley Batista
Co-controller of JBS, the world's largest meatpacker
Met with Trump a day before the tariff announcement, per Wall Street Journal report
ZN
Zach Nunn
U.S. Representative (R-Iowa, 3rd District)
Introduced the BEEF Act to nullify the beef import expansion
SC
Sarah Carden
Senior director of research and policy, Farm Action
Tracking the beef import program; released a 60-day analysis on Nov. 10

Organizations Involved

White House
White House
Executive branch of the U.S. government
Running the 90-day tariff suspension; no plans to end it early, per POLITICO; Trump has signaled no extension past Nov. 30

The executive office that issued the proclamation and will monitor import pricing.
JBS
JBS
Multinational meatpacker
World's largest meatpacker; questioned over possible influence on the decision

World's largest meatpacker with major U.S. beef processing operations.
American Farm Bureau Federation
American Farm Bureau Federation
Industry Association
Tracked retail ground beef prices since the tariff suspension; found prices down about 2% and unchanged at 30 of 41 stores

Largest U.S. general farm organization; surveyed ground beef prices after the tariff suspension.
FA
Farm Action
Agricultural think tank and advocacy group
Released a 60-day analysis finding rancher prices down nearly 20% and minimal consumer savings

Agricultural research and advocacy group tracking the beef import program's effect on prices.

Timeline

August 2026 November 2026

11 events Latest: Yesterday Showing 8 of 11
Tap a bar to jump to that date

  1. Farm Action finds rancher prices down nearly 20%

    Latest Data

    Farm Action's 60-day analysis said prices for cattle used in ground beef fell nearly 20%, about $319 per head, while meatpackers paid 16.6% less for lean beef and consumer savings were small.

  2. BLS reports September ground beef at $6.79 a pound

    Data

    The Bureau of Labor Statistics' average retail price for 100% ground beef fell from $6.92 in August but stayed above $6.32 a year earlier. USDA expects beef and veal prices to average 8.7% higher in 2026 than in 2025.

  3. Third and final 100,000-ton tranche opens

    Implementation

    The last batch of duty-cut lean beef trimmings opened Nov. 2 and runs through Nov. 30, or until the quota fills, according to Customs and Border Protection.

  4. Halfway data show about a fifth of beef imports arrived

    Data

    U.S. Customs and Border Protection data showed 59,423 metric tons entered through Oct. 19, about 20% of the 300,000-ton quota. September imports were 37,486 tons and October was 21,937 tons through Oct. 19, while retail prices barely moved.

  5. First import tranche about a third filled; retail prices barely move

    Data

    U.S. Customs and Border Protection data show 37,486 metric tons entered in September under the first 100,000-ton allocation, about a third of the amount allowed. Farm Bureau's survey of 41 stores found ground beef averaged $7.13 per pound on Sept. 23, down from $7.29 on Sept. 2, with prices unchanged at 30 stores.

  6. Second tranche underway as ground beef holds near $7

    Status

    Reports document the tariff suspension in effect as ground beef prices remain near $7 a pound and cattle industry opposition continues.

  7. Second 100,000-ton tranche opens

    Implementation

    Middle tranche of duty-cut beef trimmings opened, running through October 30 on a first come, first served basis.

  8. Bipartisan BEEF Act would nullify beef import expansion

    Legislation

    Rep. Zach Nunn (R-Iowa) and Rep. Gabe Vasquez (D-N.M.) introduced the Banning External Entry of Foreign Beef Act, which would void the proclamation unless Congress approves it and would create a beef supply advisory board.

  9. First 100,000-ton tranche opens

    Implementation

    First tranche of lean beef trimmings became eligible for entry at the lower in-quota duty rate, running through September 30.

  10. Trump signs proclamation expanding beef import quota

    Policy

    Proclamation added 300,000 metric tons of lean beef trimmings to the 2026 in-quota tariff rate, in three monthly tranches.

  11. Trump announces 90-day tariff suspension on Truth Social

    Announcement

    Trump said the U.S. would pause higher tariffs on up to 300,000 metric tons of ground beef for 90 days.

Scenarios

1

Imported beef hits 25% discount, program runs full 90 days

Uncertain Resolves by Nov 30, 2026

Discussed by: White House; The Financial Wire

All three tranches fill, and USDA and USTR confirm imported lean beef trimmings sell at 25% below market. Ground beef prices ease modestly ahead of the November 3 midterms. Economists note 300,000 tons is a small share of the U.S. market, limiting the retail impact.

2

Program cut short after imports miss discount target

Possible Resolves by Nov 30, 2026

Discussed by: White House proclamation terms; Reuters

USDA and USTR find imported trimmings aren't selling at the required 25% below market. They notify Trump, who eliminates the remaining in-quota quantity before the third tranche closes on November 30. The program ends weeks early without a full test.

3

Tariff suspension expires without extension

Likely Resolves by Dec 15, 2026

Discussed by: Reuters; TT News; U.S. cattle industry

The program runs through November 30 and is not renewed. Rancher opposition and criticism from Republican lawmakers in cattle states keep pressure high, and no new tranche is announced. Import access returns to the original 2026 quota levels.

4

Program expires with minimal consumer impact as imports underfill

Likely Resolves by Nov 30, 2026

Discussed by: American Farm Bureau Federation; University of Arkansas economist James Mitchell; POLITICO

If import fill stays low through Nov. 30, the promised consumer relief never materializes. U.S. Customs data show 59,423 metric tons had entered through Oct. 19, about a fifth of the quota, and retail prices have barely budged from near $7 a pound. The White House says it is not planning to terminate the measure early, and Trump has indicated he will not extend it beyond November.

Historical Context

2 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

May 2022

Baby formula import waivers (2022)

After a major formula recall closed a Michigan plant, shelves went bare and prices spiked. The FDA and USDA relaxed import rules so foreign formula could reach U.S. stores quickly.

Then

Millions of cans from Europe and Mexico entered the U.S. within weeks, easing the worst shortages.

Now

The episode showed how quickly the government can waive import barriers to relieve consumer price pressure during a supply crunch.

Why this matters now

Like today's beef suspension, it used import access as a short-term lever against consumer prices during a domestic supply shortfall.

1964

Meat Import Act of 1964

Congress created a quota system on beef imports designed to moderate price swings: when domestic production drops, more foreign beef is allowed in, and the reverse when supply is ample.

Then

The law gave U.S. officials a formula-driven mechanism to adjust beef import levels.

Now

The tariff-rate quota framework in use today descends directly from this act, and Trump's proclamation is an unusual executive expansion of its flexibility.

Why this matters now

It explains the institutional machinery the White House invoked: a standing quota system that this proclamation temporarily enlarges.

Sources

(24)
+18
The White House Reuters CNNBC ABC News The Hill The Financial Wire Federal Register DTN Progressive Farmer Transport Topics Iowa Capital Dispatch The Topeka Capital-Journal Agrolatam TIME Successful Farming / Agriculture.com AGDAILY The New York Times Fortune The Seattle Times Farm Action Texas Standard Food World News Brownfield Ag News The Hill CNNBC