USDA Launches Plan to Boost Cattle Producers, Cut Red Tape

The Department of Agriculture has announced a sweeping plan Wednesday to fortify the nation's cattle industry.

The plan was spurred by ranchers' concerns over the Trump administration's proposal to expand beef imports from Argentina to bring consumer prices down.

The goals, detailed in a 13-page white paper, cover three core priorities:

1. Protecting and improving ranching through expanded grazing access, disaster aid, and affordable risk tools for new and veteran producers.

2. Expanding processing and consumer transparency, including new "Product of USA" labeling rules that take effect Jan. 1.

3. Building demand alongside domestic supply by increasing access to locally raised beef in schools and ensuring that the 2025–2030 Dietary Guidelines emphasize protein and whole foods.

The USDA said the national cattle herd is at a 75-year low, while consumer demand for beef has grown 9% over the past decade.

Because it takes time to rebuild herds, the department said it is investing to stabilize markets for ranchers over the long term and to make beef more affordable.

"America's food supply chain is a national security priority for the Trump administration," Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said in a news release. "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."

Rollins said the USDA will "expedite deregulatory reforms, boost processing capacity — including getting more locally raised beef into schools — and work across the government to fix longstanding common-sense barriers for ranchers like outdated grazing restrictions."

The plan calls for the Agriculture and Interior departments to "streamline and expand" ranchers' abilities to graze on federal lands.

It will prioritize grazing on an estimated 24 million acres of vacant allotments across the country.

The Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service will coordinate with the USDA to streamline permitting and prioritize grazing as a form of wildlife management.

The plan also proposes new evidence standards allowing ranchers to be compensated for livestock lost to predators such as coyotes and bears.

Under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, the Farm Service Agency's indemnity programs can provide up to 100% of market value for livestock lost to predators.

The USDA will offer up to $2 million in grants and $25 million in guaranteed loans to small meat processors, while reducing inspection fees and promoting new grading technology.

The plan also removes environmental regulations, saving processors up to $7.8 billion in compliance costs.

Small Business Administration Administrator Kelly Loeffler said her agency will be "cutting burdensome regulations and supplying government-guaranteed loans to support our producers as they work to strengthen the American beef supply."

Craig Uden, president-elect of Nebraska Cattlemen, told Nebraska Public Media that he welcomes the new financing and insurance opportunities for young producers.

He estimated the current average age of cattle ranchers in the state is over 60.

"You're going to see a lot of movement in the next 10 years to where you're going to need more and more of these young producers to step up and in over time," he said. "I don't want to call anybody risk-averse, because they're really not, it's just lack of access to capital or having enough insurance, some kind of a risk-management tool, to ensure that it doesn't take them down."

Uden said the plan unveiled Wednesday is a step in the right direction.

"We need to concentrate our focus and find market-based solutions," he said. "And I think that the Rollins publication this week was a good start, and I think we can continue to work with them and communicate what works best for our producers."