Trump Wants Farmer Processing 08/28 11:19

   Trump Wants Farmers, Ranchers to Process Their Own Beef to Challenge Big 
Four Packers

   President Trump on Friday took to social media to pitch an idea to expand 
local rancher processing to counter the influence of major packers on the 
industry. Trump's comments come after he received backlash this week over his 
plan to expand beef imports. 

Chris Clayton
Farm Business Editor

   OMAHA (DTN) -- President Donald Trump on Friday said he wants to give 
farmers and ranchers more authority to process their own meat, pitching the 
move as a strategy to challenge the control of the Big Four packing firms.

   On Truth Social, Trump said, "Ranchers and Farmers have always been a number 
one priority for me. They work very hard, are smart, efficient, and 
immaculately CLEAN, but for years I have heard that they have had a tremendous 
problem with the Big Processors, who many say are a nasty Monopoly. There are, 
essentially, 4 of them, a very noncompetitive number, and they make life 
miserable for our wonderful Farmers and Ranchers, and I can't let that happen, 
can I? So in order to break this powerful monopoly, with much of its ownership 
based outside the U.S., I am authorizing legal documents to be drawn in order 
to allow Farmers and Ranchers to be given the right to PROCESS THEIR OWN FOOD. 
This should move quickly."

   Farmers already can slaughter livestock for their own household consumption 
under federal law. The larger regulatory issue is whether meat processed 
outside a federally inspected facility can be sold to consumers, restaurants or 
retailers -- particularly across state lines.

   The Justice Department has been investigating potential antitrust violations 
in cattle and beef markets, but it is unclear where the department stands with 
that investigation. The Big Four beef packers are Tyson, Cargill, JBS and 
National Beef Packing. JBS and National Beef are owned by Brazilian companies.

   Trump's comments come amid backlash this week from beef producers over his 
proclamation that temporarily suspends tariffs on 300,000 metric tons (661.4 
million pounds) of imported beef, starting Tuesday. The beef is expected to be 
lean trimmings that would be blended with U.S. beef for hamburger. Trump has 
said he expects the beef would be sold at a 25% discount.

   As DTN reported, the leaders of nearly every major cattlemen's organization 
and major farm groups wrote to President Trump, urging him to reverse course on 
the import expansion. In one letter from four groups this week, leaders said 
the import plan would discourage investments in the U.S. cow herd. "Americans 
deserve safe and wholesome beef free from any market-distorting actions."

   The president's social media post also comes after an interview he gave 
Wednesday with conservative radio host Glenn Beck. Bloomberg reported Beck 
complained that farmers "can't butcher" because of federal regulations, and 
Beck suggested the federal government should take on the big processors while 
expanding domestic processing.

   "So, you're saying with less regulation, you think that the ranchers and 
farmers would do a very good job of processing the beef?" Trump asked Beck, 
according to Bloomberg.

   Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, who often responds quickly when Trump 
posts about agricultural topics, then declared, "We're on it Mr. President!" on 
social platform X, adding that "big announcements" are starting Monday. Rollins 
said those include waiving red tape in processing; expanding ranchers' ability 
to sell across state lines; rescinding outdated guidance; adding technology for 
faster safety data; growing real support for small processors (funding and 
deregulation); fighting consolidation so small processors can compete; and 
expanding truth in labeling.

   Rollins is scheduled to attend a federal forum Monday at the Nebraska State 
Fair with Republican members of Congress from the state. Beef policies will 
likely be a hot topic.   

   During the pandemic, Congress funded expansion of meat processing capacity, 
with USDA under the Biden administration committing $1 billion to increase 
independent meat and poultry processing through grants and loans under programs 
such as the Meat and Poultry Processing Expansion Program (MPPEP). The Trump 
administration announced in early July it would make $60 million available 
under the MPPEP for grants to help expand domestic beef processing capacity. 
That includes awards ranging from $10,000 to $250,000 to buy equipment, or 
larger awards from $50,000 to $2 million to increase processing capacity.

   At the same time, major packers such as Tyson are reducing their processing 
capacity. Tyson announced earlier this month it will close two beef processing 
plants in Illinois and Utah, and plans to sell another in Washington State.

   The House version of the farm bill also included a pilot program based on 
the Processing Revival and Intrastate Meat Exemption (PRIME) Act that lets 
states allow the sale of custom-slaughtered meat directly to local buyers 
without a federal USDA inspection, relying instead on state inspection. Farmers 
would be able to market retail cuts in local stores and restaurants under the 
bill.

   Outgoing Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., who led the bill, plugged the PRIME Act 
after seeing Trump's social media post.

   "This is great, but it should be a law, not just an executive order. My 
PRIME Act has dozens of bipartisan sponsors in the House & Senate. A pilot 
program for it is in the House farm bill. Pass the PRIME Act so consumers can 
get affordable U.S. beef and farmers can flourish!" Massie stated.

   Also see: "Major Cattle, Farm Groups Press Trump to Reverse Course on Beef 
Imports," 
https://www.dtnpf.com/agriculture/web/ag/news/article/2026/08/26/major-cattle-fa
rm-groups-press-trump.

   Also see: "Breaking Down How Producers Use LRP to Protect Feeder Cattle 
Prices," 
https://www.dtnpf.com/agriculture/web/ag/news/article/2026/08/25/breaking-produc
ers-use-lrp-protect.

   Chris Clayton can be reached at Chris.Clayton@dtn.com

   Follow him on social platform X @ChrisClaytonDTN




(c) Copyright 2026 DTN, LLC. All rights reserved.