Overview
- The White House, which said Monday the president would act, plans two executive orders to open the market to more foreign beef and to steer loans and regulatory relief to U.S. ranchers.
- One order would pause the beef tariff-rate quota that raises duties after import limits are hit, letting more shipments enter at lower rates from all exporting countries.
- U.S. processors often mix lean imported beef with fattier domestic trimmings to make ground beef, so more low-tariff imports could ease costs for burger chains and grocery meat counters.
- A second order would expand Small Business Administration lending for ranchers and ease rules by reducing protections for gray and Mexican wolves and relaxing electronic ear-tag requirements.
- Prices remain at highs, with ground beef near $6.70 to $6.75 per pound and the cattle herd at its smallest since 1951, and the push has drawn objections from cattle groups and some Republicans even as antitrust scrutiny of big meatpackers continues.