Fact Sheets

Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Ensures Affordable Beef for the American Consumer

The White House

February 6, 2026

SUPPLEMENTING OUR BEEF SUPPLY: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed a Proclamation temporarily increasing the U.S. tariff-rate quota for lean beef trimmings to boost supply and make ground beef affordable for American consumers despite current supply challenges.

• The Proclamation permits an additional 80,000 metric tons of lean beef trimmings per year from Argentina to be imported tariff-free in four quarterly tranches of 20,000 metric tons each.

• The Secretary of Agriculture, in consultation with the United States Trade Representative, will continue monitoring domestic lean beef supplies and related imports and will advise on any additional actions needed to ensure an adequate domestic supply.
  RESPONDING TO LOWER GROUND BEEF AVAILABILITY: President Trump is responding to market challenges and ensuring a plentiful ground beef supply for American families at affordable prices by taking action on multiple fronts.

• The U.S. cattle herd has fallen to a record low of 86.2 million head as of January 2026, with beef cow inventory down by 8.6% since 2020.

• Years of drought and widespread wildfires have affected grazing lands, reduced feed supplies, and forced ranchers to adapt, sharply reducing domestic beef production.

• Restrictions on cattle imports from Mexico, enacted following detections of New World Screwworm, were essential to prevent the spread of this livestock disease but have also constrained feedlot stock supplies, exacerbating shortages.

• As a result, ground beef prices reached an average of $6.69 per pound in December 2025, the highest since tracking began in the 1980s.

• The United States is the world’s largest consumer of beef by volume and ranks second globally in per capita beef consumption, underscoring beef’s importance to the American diet.

• The President is taking action to strengthen the nation’s supply of affordable beef for American consumers while these challenges persist.
  DELIVERING LOWER COSTS FOR AMERICAN FAMILIES WHILE SUPPORTING OUR RANCHERS: President Trump is fighting every day to reverse Biden’s inflation crisis, and strengthen the backbone of our food supply.

• In July 2025, President Trump signed the largest tax cuts in American history, providing families with thousands more in their pockets each year.

  • The One Big Beautiful Bill’s various tax provisions also make the ranching industry more attractive for investment, boosting profitability for ranchers now and into the future.

• In October 2025, the Trump Administration announced a suite of actions to strengthen the American beef industry, reinforcing and prioritizing the American rancher’s critical role in the national security of the United States.

• In December 2025, President Trump signed an Executive Order to stop price fixing, anti-competitive behavior, and foreign influence that drives up grocery prices and threatens the security of America’s food supply.

• By halting proposed Biden-era regulations, President Trump has already saved Americans over $180 billion, or $2,100 per family of four.

• Under four years of Biden, workers lost nearly $3,000 in purchasing power — meaning inflation rose faster than wages. Under President Trump, even after accounting for higher prices, real wages are on track to grow by $1,100 after his first full year.

• The Administration is committed to reducing risk for cattle producers, supporting new ranchers across the country, and ensuring ranchers are prosperous now and into the future.