Trump administration ‘fine-tuning’ actions to ease US beef shortages, White House says

WASHINGTON, May 12 (Reuters) – The Trump administration is “fine-tuning” potential presidential executive orders aimed at reducing domestic beef prices, a White House official said on Tuesday after a delay in ​signing actions that were expected on Monday.

Trump had been ‌considering executive actions to allow increased beef imports into the U.S. and additional government support to help ranchers rebuild the American cattle herd that has dwindled to its lowest level in 75 years.

“The president is committed to lowering ‌beef ​and other grocery costs for everyday Americans, ⁠and the administration is ⁠accordingly fine-tuning potential executive actions to alleviate temporary shortages in the domestic beef market,” the White House official said in an emailed statement.

Beef prices have hovered near record highs despite lower ​prices for other grocery staples in recent months, including eggs and milk. Beef is over 16% more expensive than when ⁠Trump returned to office in January 2025, ⁠making it a symbol of persistent inflation for ​American consumers as the summer backyard grilling season gets underway.

Chicago Mercantile Exchange ​June live cattle futures were up 0.6% in mid-morning ‌trade on Tuesday, while August feeder cattle dropped 0.6%.

Trump’s previous efforts to reverse beef prices by cutting tariffs on major exporters Brazil and Argentina have not stopped their climb amid persistent shortages.

The U.S. ⁠cattle herd is at its lowest since 1951, while demand has risen with the U.S. population more than doubling since then. Ranchers slashed ⁠their herds in recent ‌years due to a persistent drought that ⁠burned grazing lands and raised feeding costs. High ​cattle prices ‌have also encouraged ranchers to sell livestock to ​be slaughtered, ⁠instead of keeping them for breeding.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has projected that the country will import a record 5.8 billion pounds of beef this year, up about 6% from 2025 and 25% from 2024.

(Reporting by David Lawder and Tom Polansek; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama ​and Deepa Babington)