Tariff-Free Beef Imports Trickle Into U.S.

By Kirk Maltais

President Trump's executive order allowing for more beef imports to enter the U.S. essentially duty-free has caused only a slight uptick in those volumes, government data show.

Some 37,486 metric tons of beef imports entered the U.S. under the "Affordable Beef" program through Sept. 28, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection data. October is also off to a slow start, with only 2,181 tons entering the U.S through Oct. 5.

Trump's executive order allowed up to 100,000 tons of lean beef trimmings - which are used to make ground beef - to enter the country under in-quota duties per month from September through November. So the figures reported by CBP for September mean that only 37.5% of that available volume was utilized.

While Trump opened the door for more beef to enter the U.S., that doesn't necessarily mean that more beef is coming, said James Mitchell, a professor and economist with the University of Arkansas' Department of Agricultural Economics & Agribusiness.

"Countries don't trade beef, companies do," said Mitchell. "Just because the U.S. makes an additional 100,000 metric tons available at a lower tariff does not mean companies are going to import that much beef."

U.S buyers have to field competitive offers that can draw beef exports that would have been destined for other countries toward the U.S. instead, explains Mitchell. "Importers still have to find beef they can purchase at a price that makes economic sense, and exporters have to be willing to sell it," he said.

Trump's executive order was published by the White House on Aug. 26. That likely didn't give buyers and sellers time to adjust their plans to make use of the new larger quota. "October and November will be more telling since companies have had more time to arrange shipments," said Mitchell.

The executive order doesn't apply to countries that already have a quota negotiated with the U.S. - which includes big exporters like Argentina or Australia, both of which have a yearly quota for what they can sell to the U.S. without additional tariffs.

Live cattle futures trading on the CME are down 0.1% to $2.26 a pound Tuesday. Cattle prices eased off of historical highs over the summer, but rebounded in September - bouncing nearly 5% for the month.

Meanwhile, Trump's program has only provided minor relief to consumer prices. According to analysis from economists with the American Farm Bureau, average prices for 80% lean ground beef sold at stores spanning 22 states were $7.13/lb by the end of September - down only 16 cents from the start of the month, or 2%.

Factors including a generationally small U.S. cattle herd and the halting of Mexican feeder cattle shipments in a fight against the spread of the New World screwworm parasite have supported high prices for beef on grocery store shelves.

Write to Kirk Maltais at kirk.maltais@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

October 13, 2026 13:46 ET (17:46 GMT)