The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced measures aimed at supporting the beef industry amid rising prices and supply challenges. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins outlined steps including loan programs for small meat processors and expanded use of conserved lands for grazing, designed to alleviate pressures on ranchers and producers.

The moves come as the nation faces record-high beef prices, driven by a combination of drought, wildfires, and a cattle herd at its smallest size in 75 years. President Donald Trump earlier pledged to take action to disrupt what he described as a "nasty monopoly" held by major meatpacking companies, proposing policies to allow ranchers to process their own cattle and thereby increase competition within the industry.

Among the USDA’s initiatives is a guaranteed loan program targeted at smaller meat processing operations, intended to help these businesses expand capacity and reduce bottlenecks in the supply chain. Additionally, the agency is permitting ranchers to utilize some conserved land for grazing in the aftermath of natural disasters and wildfires, aiming to provide relief as producers contend with environmental challenges.

Last week, Trump signed an order broadening the availability of lower-tariff beef imports, a move intended to ease domestic prices. However, this step sparked criticism from some farm groups concerned about the potential impact on U.S. producers.

Rollins emphasized the department’s commitment to “rebuild the Great American Beef Herd” by offering producers enhanced risk management tools and reducing regulatory hurdles that have disproportionately affected small and independent operators. She also highlighted efforts to promote greater transparency in a meatpacking market that has become increasingly consolidated and partly foreign-owned.

These measures reflect the administration’s broader strategy to address supply constraints and price volatility in the beef sector, seeking to balance the interests of consumers, ranchers, and processors amid ongoing economic and environmental pressures.