USDA Launches Ranchers First Initiative to Rebuild Cattle Herd

The United States Department of Agriculture launched the Ranchers First Initiative on Monday to support domestic cattle producers and small meat processors. The program provides guaranteed loans for regional meat processing and allows ranchers to insure the cost of retaining heifers for breeding over two years to rebuild a national cattle herd currently near 50- to 75-year lows. Additionally, the agency is prioritizing the purchase of locally processed beef for state and federal institutions and allowing ranchers to use conserved lands for grazing following natural disasters.

These measures follow a pledge by President Donald Trump to dismantle what he called a nasty monopoly among major meatpackers. To support this, the administration authorized legal documents allowing ranchers to process their own cattle and the United States Department of Justice is conducting a probe into industry consolidation.

The initiatives arrive as the administration balances producer support with consumer costs. President Trump recently signed an order expanding lower-tariff beef imports for up to 300,000 tons to lower record beef prices, a move that drew criticism from farm groups and Republican lawmakers. In a separate regulatory action, the USDA removed two Texas zones from New World screwworm infested status, permitting the resumption of livestock movement in those areas.