President Donald Trump announced Friday morning that the United States will allow up to 300,000 tons of ground meat products to be imported without being subject to off-quota tariffs within the next three months.
President Trump also said, “We have a commitment to sell this beef 25% below the current market price.”
The president’s Truth Social post announcing the move did not say which companies had made those commitments, but he said they were made as they “work to rebuild this herd and support ranchers.”
President Trump did not say with whom agreements had been reached for import exemptions or which importers had committed to selling ground meat at below-market prices as a result of the tariff relief.
CNBC has reached out to the White House, major U.S. beef suppliers and the National Cattle Beef Association for comment on President Trump’s announcement.
The United States imposes tariffs on imported beef that exceeds certain quota limits for each country.
“Imports coming in within the quota are generally subject to a tariff of just 4.4 cents per kilogram, while imports in excess of the quota are subject to a 26.4% tariff,” said a May report from the American Farm Bureau Federation.
“If beef is valued at approximately $7/kg, the difference could exceed $1.80/kg in customs costs,” the report said.
U.S. beef prices rose in 2026 due to a decline in the domestic cattle herd due to years of drought, high feed costs, and herd consolidation.
Trump’s post comes as Republicans worry that Americans’ concerns about the affordability of everyday items such as food could hurt Republican candidates in November’s congressional elections.
“Today, I signed a deal that significantly lowers the price of ground meat for America’s working families,” President Trump said in the post.
“This agreement will lower prices for Americans while giving the Great American Cattle Herd room to grow again,” he said.
