Key facts
- The USDA is providing loans to small meat processors.
- Ranchers will be permitted to use conserved lands for grazing.
- These actions aim to support the beef industry and address high beef prices.
- President Trump previously pledged to break up a monopoly among meatpackers.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is implementing measures to support the beef industry, including offering loans to small meat processors and permitting grazing on conserved lands. These actions follow President Donald Trump's pledge to address consolidation in the meatpacking sector and combat record-high beef prices.
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced the initiatives, stating the USDA is investing in rebuilding the beef herd, providing risk management tools, reducing red tape for small operators, and demanding transparency in the marketplace. The move comes as drought and wildfires have reduced the cattle herd to a 75-year low, contributing to high consumer prices.
Previously, President Trump signed an order to expand lower-tariff beef imports, a move that angered farm groups. His administration also pledged to allow ranchers to process their own cattle to break up what he described as a "nasty monopoly" among major meatpackers.