President Donald Trump announced that he reached an agreement to help lower beef prices, an effort that reflects Americans’ needs amid rising costs and a rampant affordability crisis.
“Today, I concluded a deal to substantially lower the price of ground beef for working American families,” President Trump wrote on Truth Social.
In the post, President Trump blamed former President Joe Biden for the rise in beef costs, asserting that under the previous administration “beef prices soared at their fastest rate.”
Under Biden, “the American beef herd fell to its smallest size in modern history,” President Trump argued.
Price of Beef Across Administrations
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the price of beef rose from $3.97 per pound at the beginning of Biden’s administration to $5.55 per pound by the start of the second Trump administration – an increase of 39.8% in just 4 years.
By comparison, at the beginning of the first Trump administration, the price of beef was $3.553 per pound, increasing to $3.965 per pound by the end – a mere 11.6% increase.
Cattle Herd Size Throughout Admins
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the cattle inventory dropped from 93.6 million during the beginning of the Biden administration to 86.7 million by the end, a 7.37% decrease.
By comparison, the first Trump administration inherited 93.6 million cattle, and left the same number by its end.
Trump Promises Prices 25% Below Market Value
“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,” President Trump confirmed.
President Trump also promised to ensure that the beef imported “will be sold at 25% below current market prices.”
As of July 2026, the average price of beef is $6.89 per pound. Decreasing it by 25% would bring it to $5.17 per pound, a 6.85% decrease from what President Trump inherited at the beginning of his second term.
“This deal will reduce prices for Americans while giving space for our Great American Beef Herd to grow again,” President Trump concluded.
