Opinion

Cut the bull: The real reason beef costs so much — and what Trump is trying to do

We will never rebuild our herds or reclaim our title as the world's beef superpower under a system run by bureaucrats instead of ranchers

By Jesse Ramos Fox News

Published September 25, 2026 5:00am EDT

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Brooke Rollins discusses impact of importing beef trim on cattle ranchers at GOP convention

Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins expressed sympathy for cattle ranchers, knowing that importing beef would cause market volatility as the Trump administration grapples with high grocery store prices. 

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Ground beef just hit a record $6.92 a pound, nearly 60% more than Americans were paying just five years ago.

For millions of families, beef isn't a rib eye at a steakhouse; it's the largest source of protein in their diet. It's hamburgers on the grill, taco night, meatloaf, a roast in the crockpot.

America didn't forget how to raise cattle. We made it harder to do it, and American families are paying the price for a country that won't let its own ranchers feed it.

‘WHY WOULD HE DO THIS TO US?’: TRUMP'S FOREIGN BEEF PUSH IS HURTING HIS BASE, REPUBLICANS WARN

The Trump administration is attempting to bring relief quickly. A temporary order took effect Sept. 1, expanding lower-tariff access for 300,000 metric tons of imported lean beef trimmings, putting more beef in the market while the herd rebuilds. It did not go over well in ranching country. Producers argue that flooding the market with cheaper foreign beef pushes cattle prices down at the very moment American........

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