USDA Announces New Actions Aimed at Supporting Ranchers and Beef Supply

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has introduced a series of federal actions intended to support American ranchers, stabilize the beef supply chain and address long-term challenges in domestic cattle production. The announcement was made by U.S. secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins alongside Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Small Business Administrator Kelly Loeffler.

According to the USDA, the United States has experienced a substantial loss of family farms in recent years, more than 17% since 2017, totaling over 100,000 operations during the last decade. The national cattle herd has also reached a 75-year low, even as consumer demand for beef has grown by 9% over the past ten years. Because rebuilding herd numbers requires time, federal agencies are outlining efforts aimed at reducing volatility for ranchers and maintaining access to affordable beef 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,” said Secretary Brooke Rollins. “At USDA we are protecting our beef industry and incentivizing new ranchers to take up the noble vocation of ranching. Today, USDA will 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raised beef into schools, and working across the government to fix longstanding common-sense barriers for ranchers like outdated grazing restrictions.”

The Department of the Interior will participate by revising certain land-use and grazing restrictions on public lands. “At Interior, the Department is slashing red tape and restoring grazing access on public lands to support the livelihoods of hardworking Americans in the ranching industry,” said Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum.

Health and Human Services also emphasized the nutrition and public-health components of the initiative. “We face a chronic disease epidemic in this country largely tied to the foods we eat,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Kennedy. “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. 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.”

Small Business Administration support will include adjustments to lending and regulatory processes for producers. “Ranches and farmers are the original small businesses,” said SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler. “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.”

USDA has stated that the plan focuses on processing capacity, market access, regulatory changes and long-term support for ranching operations. The full plan is available through USDA.