Trump’s Tariff-Free Beef Plan Unlikely to Make Burgers Much Cheaper

President Donald Trump is trying to lower the price of ground beef, but his plan may have only a limited impact on supermarket prices.

President Donald Trump's administration is expanding US access to tariff-free imports of lean beef trimmings in an effort to increase ground-beef supplies and ease prices for consumers.

The administration has increased the US beef import quota by 300,000 metric tons for lean beef trimmings, with the additional quota being opened in three 100,000-metric-ton tranches beginning Sept. 1, according to a presidential proclamation issued Aug. 25, Elisabeth Buchwald reported for CNN.

The additional quota applies exclusively to lean beef trimmings used primarily in ground beef and is allocated to countries other than those that already have specific country allocations under the US beef tariff-rate quota.

The first 100,000-metric-ton tranche opens Sept. 1, followed by additional tranches on Oct. 1 and Oct. 31.

The final tranche will remain open until the additional quota is filled or Nov. 30, whichever comes first.

The administration said it expects the additional imports to increase the supply of ground beef and lower prices.

The proclamation states that imported beef is expected to be sold at a discount compared with current retail prices and says the administration could end the measure if it does not result in lower prices.

The impact at the supermarket, however, is likely to be limited. The additional 300,000 metric tons represents a relatively small share of US beef consumption, and the measure applies only to lean beef trimmings rather than all cuts of beef.

The effect will also depend on whether the imports represent additional supplies for the US market or replace beef that processors would otherwise have purchased from domestic suppliers.

Ground beef prices have risen substantially in recent years, adding to pressure on the administration to increase supplies.

The additional imports could provide some relief to consumers, but the size and speed of any price reduction will depend on how much imported beef reaches processors and retailers and how the additional supply affects the broader cattle market.