FACED with a national beef herd at 75 year lows after drought, while consumer demand for beef has grown 9pc over the past decade, the United States Department of Agriculture yesterday launched a plan to help strengthen the nation’s domestic beef industry and moderate retail prices.
A cowboy iherding cattle on a ranch in eastern Oregon. Picture: Shutterstock
US Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins and Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr announced a suite of actions designed to “reinforce and prioritise the American rancher’s critical role in the national security of the US,” the department said in a statement.
“Since 2017, the US has lost 17pc of family farms, more than 100,000 operations over the last decade,” Secretary Rollins said.
“Because increasing the size of the domestic herd takes time, the USDA is investing now to make these markets less volatile for ranchers over the long term and more affordable for consumers.”
“America’s food supply chain is a national security priority for the Trump Administration. We are committed to ensuring the American people have an affordable source of protein and that America’s ranchers have a strong economic environment where they can continue to operate for generations to come,” Secretary Rollins said.
“At USDA we are protecting our beef industry and incentivising new ranchers to take up the noble vocation of ranching.”
She said USDA would immediately expedite deregulatory reforms, boost processing capacity, including getting more locally raised beef into schools, and working across the government to fix longstanding common-sense barriers for ranchers like outdated grazing restrictions.
“Additionally, the Department is slashing red tape and restoring grazing access on public lands to support the livelihoods of hardworking Americans in the ranching industry,” the statement said. “This administration is taking decisive action to support America’s farmers and ranchers so that they can support American families with high quality beef.”
The program aimed to grow the US domestic herd while boosting domestic and international demand for US beef, so that ranchers were not trapped in the boom-bust cycle that had defined past cattle markets, the statement said.
“We face a chronic disease epidemic in this country largely tied to the foods we eat,” Health and Human Services Secretary Kennedy said.
“Under President Trump, we are restoring whole foods as the foundation of the American diet and ending the decades-old stigma against natural saturated fat in beef and dairy products,” he said.
“We will strengthen America’s ranching industry so families can choose nutrient-dense, minimally processed foods. Bottom line: we cannot Make America Healthy Again without America’s farmers and ranchers.”
“Ranches and farmers are the original small businesses. Over generations, they carry on the vital legacy of feeding, clothing, and fueling America,” said SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler.
“Today, this Administration is taking major action to strengthen our food supply and the beef industry by offering more security for the hardworking ranches our nation depends on.
“The SBA is committed to doing its part by cutting burdensome regulations and supplying government-guaranteed loans to support our producers as they work to strengthen the American beef supply – for consumers, our national security, and the proud American tradition of ranching.”
Under other measures announced overnight:
Protect and promote American beef through transparent labelling: Only products that have been born, raised, and slaughtered in the United States will be eligible to make US-origin labeling claims, ensuring any premiums derived from those claims only benefit producers and processors utilising American beef. Further adoption of state and local labeling claims could lead to additional premiums for those producers and processors providing high-quality, local beef products to American consumers, the statement said.
Making risk protection tools more affordable and prioritising new and beginning ranchers: Decreased overhead and decreased risk for the population of producers who are most inclined to invest in their herd. Increased participation in risk management products reduces financial volatility in cattle markets, allowing all ranchers to better manage their business.
Promote fair and transparent beef markets: USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service will make public cattle and beef market information under the Livestock Mandatory Reporting program and will make available the Cattle Contract Library and other reporting tools to ensure producers have clear, timely market information. These coordinated actions will help ensure that producers can competitively market products to support stable, affordable beef prices for consumers.