Trump’s beef-import gambit spooks ranchers as U.S. herd sinks to 75-year low

Trump’s plan to import about 300,000 metric tons of foreign beef trim has unsettled red‑state ranchers as U.S. cattle herds sink to a 75‑year low amid drought, high diesel costs and volatile markets. Ranchers report price volatility and uncertainty about keeping breeding stock, while the White House and Agriculture Department tout a pro‑rancher agenda—executive orders to cut red tape, expand grazing, enhance meat processing rules, and strengthen market competition—as addressing a short‑term supply crunch while rebuilding the beef herd.