President Donald Trump said Friday that the United States will allow up to 300,000 metric tons of ground beef to be imported tariff-free over the next 90 days, with a commitment that the meat will be sold at 25% below current market prices.

The announcement immediately drew backlash from cattle industry groups and several Republican senators, who warned that increasing imports could hurt American ranchers.

Announcing the plan in a Truth Social post, Trump said it would "substantially lower" the price of ground beef for American families, arguing that prices had soared under the Biden administration as the domestic cattle supply had shrunk.

"As we work to rebuild this herd and help our ranchers, for the next 90 days, the United States will allow up to 300,000 metric tons of product for ground beef to be imported with no out of quota tariff," Trump wrote.

"We have a commitment that this beef will be sold at 25 percent below current market prices," he continued. "This deal will reduce prices for Americans while giving space for our Great American Beef Herd to grow again."

The reference to "no out of quota tariff" points to the tariff-rate quota system, under which beef entering above set annual volumes faces higher duties. Hamburger production in the United States has long blended domestic fattier cuts with imported lean beef, and retail ground beef prices have climbed to record highs this year, according to Labor Department data. On an annualized basis, the announced allowance would total roughly 1.2 million metric tons, a significant share of the beef the country imports in a typical year.

Industry Pushback

The National Cattlemen's Beef Association, the country's largest cattle producer trade group, said it was "disappointed" by the plan, arguing that introducing below-market beef could negatively affect American cattle producers.

Speaking with FOX Business' Nicole McManus, National Cattlemen's Beef Association CEO Colin Woodall urged the federal government not to interfere with the cattle industry.

"The best thing is to stay out of our business. That's what we want, first and foremost," Woodall said. "Let us work the way we do as producers to take care of our cattle, to take of our natural resources and to be able to grow."

Woodall sharply criticized Trump's plan, arguing that the president was overlooking strong consumer demand for U.S. beef.

"This is the third time in less than a year that the president has made a similar announcement about increasing imports in order to decrease the price of beef," Woodall said. "And, once again, he's missing the point. He's missing the picture, and he's definitely lost the plot line. This is about demand. The consumer demands our product. The customer loves what we're producing."

"We're producing the highest quality beef we ever have, and they have shown their willingness to pay for it," he continued. "The American consumer does not have to buy beef. They want to buy beef and, unfortunately, the president is just not factoring that into his consideration."

The American Farm Bureau Federation also responded to Trump's announcement, warning that "short-term measures could have long-term negative effects" for consumers and ranchers.

U.S. Cattlemen's Association President Justin Tupper also criticized the plan.

"You don't put America first by putting U.S. cattle producers last," Tupper said in a statement. "This move will weaken our markets and gamble with food safety in the process."

Republican Pushback on Capitol Hill

Several Republicans on Capitol Hill also pushed back against the decision, including Sen. Tim Sheehy, R-Mont., who said he had advised Trump against the move and warned that it could hurt ranching families.

"The President's heart is in the right place on wanting lower prices for the American people, and beef prices have been impacted by the Mexican screwworm," Sheehy posted on X.

"But the reality is this action will make it more difficult for American ranchers to rebuild our herd and bring prices down for the American people," he continued. "And most importantly, this will harm our ranching families who feed the nation."

The parasite Sheehy referenced is the New World screwworm, a fly whose larvae feed on the living tissue of livestock. Its reappearance in southern Mexico in late 2024 prompted U.S. restrictions on live cattle imports from Mexico, a major source of feeder cattle for American feedlots, before shipments resumed in stages in 2025.

Trump's Response

Trump responded to the criticism while speaking to reporters Friday.

"I love the ranchers; they've done a fantastic job," Trump said. "But they admit that we need a little help, and, in order to get the prices down, so that's what we're doing."

Trump did not specify which countries would supply the beef, telling reporters only that "there are a few" and that they would send the "highest quality beef." Brazil, Australia, New Zealand, Uruguay and Canada have ranked among the largest foreign suppliers of beef to the United States in recent years.

The announcement also left open how the commitment to sell the imported beef at 25% below current market prices would be enforced or verified, and whether the import window would be extended beyond its 90-day term.

Market Backdrop

The announcement comes as U.S. ranchers face the smallest domestic cattle herd in 75 years, and as Tyson Foods announced last week that it would close beef facilities in Illinois and Utah. Rebuilding the herd is a multiyear process: heifers retained today for breeding rather than slaughter take roughly two to three years before their offspring reach the market, which is why cattle supplies have historically moved in slow cycles.

FOX Business has reached out to the White House for additional comment.