Trump's Beef Price Efforts Face Farm-State Pushback Before Midterms
The Trump administration's efforts to bring down beef prices have backfired politically and possibly economically, NPR reported on Oct. 22, 2026. Ground beef now costs around $6.80 per pound, according to that report.
The White House said in February that ground beef had reached an average price of $6.69. That same month, Trump signed an executive order easing tariffs, which are taxes on imported goods, on some beef from Argentina. The White House published it under the title "Ensuring Affordable Beef for the American Consumer."
In August, Trump signed a second order, titled "Further Ensuring Affordable Beef for the American Consumer." It suspends tariffs on up to 300,000 metric tons of imported beef, specifically lean beef trimmings used to make ground beef. The order states the goal of lowering ground beef prices and directs that the imported beef be sold at 25% below market prices. It also increased the amount of Argentine lean beef trimmings allowed in at lower tariff rates for 2026 by 80,000 metric tons.
NPR reported that 300,000 metric tons is equivalent to around 2% of total U.S. beef consumption. The U.S. beef herd is at a 75-year low, according to Zach Raff, incoming livestock economist at Iowa State University.
Early results have been smaller than expected. Farm Progress reported that the plan brought in far less volume than anticipated in its first month.
Scott Birker has raised beef cattle outside Garrison, Iowa, since 2001. He runs about 150 mama cows, or breeding cows, and serves as northeast regional vice president of the Iowa Cattlemen's Association.
Republican senators from states including Montana and Wyoming pushed back against beef imports, saying the imports would hurt American farmers, NPR reported in late August.
Trump has argued that increased beef imports would give consumers temporary price relief while U.S. cattle producers build up the national herd, according to Civil Eats.
Exports are also down. U.S. beef exports to China fell to 154 million pounds in 2025, from 474 million pounds in 2024, a Reuters commentary reported.
