President Donald Trump signed executive orders aimed at supporting cattle ranchers by allowing them to protect herds from wolves and moving toward country-of-origin labeling for imported beef, amid concerns over increased imports.
The actions aim to balance lower consumer beef prices with support for domestic ranchers, addressing potential political fallout from the import plan ahead of midterm elections.
President Donald Trump announced a series of actions aimed at supporting American ranchers, following significant industry opposition to his administration's plan to increase beef imports to lower consumer prices. These measures come as affordability concerns are expected to be a key issue in upcoming midterm elections.
Among the announced actions is a directive requiring country-of-origin labeling for all foreign beef. Trump indicated that this change would be presented to Congress for mandatory and permanent implementation, stating, "I understand Congress has something to do with that one. So we’re putting it in front of Congress right away."
The White House will also direct the Interior Department to consider delisting gray wolves from Endangered Species Act protection. This move is intended to alleviate threats to livestock in the western United States, potentially allowing ranchers to kill wolves on their property without penalty.
The president's actions follow strong pushback last month when his administration proposed removing tariffs on certain beef imports for 90 days. Ranchers and industry groups argued that this move could undermine efforts to rebuild the domestic supply. U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer reportedly informed GOP lawmakers that Brazil and Paraguay are positioned to supply these imports.
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins acknowledged the president's move as a "gut punch" to ranchers but also characterized Trump as a champion for the industry.
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