US beef imports reach 20% of temporary reduced-tariff allocation
September ground-beef prices fell from August but remained above last year’s level, while the temporary import window is scheduled to run through November.
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September ground-beef prices fell from August but remained above last year’s level, while the temporary import window is scheduled to run through November.
US importers brought in 59,423 metric tons of beef under a temporary cut in import taxes through October 19, 2026—about 20% of the programme’s 300,000-metric-ton allocation, based on US Customs and Border Protection data.
President Donald Trump signed the proclamation in August to allow imports of lean beef trimmings—pieces left after beef is cut—at a reduced tariff, or import tax. The allocation covers a 90-day period beginning in September. Trump said the policy would lower consumer prices while allowing the US cattle herd to grow, as Fortune detailed in its October 26 report.
Ground beef was cheaper in September than in August, but still cost about 7% more than a year earlier, Bureau of Labor Statistics data show.
| Month | Price per pound |
|---|---|
| September 2025 | $6.32 |
| August 2026 | $6.92 |
| September 2026 | $6.79 |
Analysis
Derrell Peel, an Oklahoma State University professor specializing in livestock economics, said imported lean trimmings complement the fattier trimmings produced from cattle in US feedlots. Processors combine the two, usually for fast-food restaurants rather than supermarket shelves.
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Peel said the industry already imports the quantities of lean trimmings it needs, even when it must pay tariffs. Cutting those tariffs makes the imports cheaper, but does not necessarily increase demand for them or resolve supermarket price pressures.
Glynn Tonsor, an agricultural economics professor at Kansas State University, emphasized strong demand rather than smaller cattle herds as the main driver of higher prices. He said sustained high prices could eventually weaken demand and bring prices down—but that would also reduce the need for imports.
American Farm Bureau Federation president Zippy Duvall asked Trump in September to reverse the policy. Duvall said the imports would lower cattle prices and could cost ranchers $300 to $400 per animal, undermining a fragile industry recovery without benefiting consumers.
Peel said the modest increase in imports had not had an overwhelming effect on the industry, though a larger increase would depress cattle prices. The White House did not immediately respond to Fortune’s request for comment.
The reduced-tariff import window is scheduled to remain open through November.
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