USDA launches Ranchers First Initiative to support U.S. cattle producers
USDA launches Ranchers First Initiative to support U.S. cattle producers
Colleen Kottke, Wisconsin State FarmerWed, September 2, 2026 at 10:02 AM UTC
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After angering beef ranchers and dairy farmers alike with President Trump's plan to will allow up to 300,000 metric tons of beef into the U.S. from other countries without a tariff, the U.S. Department of Agriculture is rolling out a federal initiative to boost beef industry growth. U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins says the program is designed to support cattle producers and rebuild the nation's beef herd, which the USDAsays has fallen to its lowest level in 75 years.
The initiative, called the Ranchers First Initiative, expands on USDA’s October 2025 Plan to Fortify the American Beef Industry and includes new livestock risk management tools, support for local meat processing, changes to conservation and disaster-recovery programs, and efforts to increase demand for American-raised beef through federal procurement.
Rollins said the package is intended to strengthen the beef industry and help ranchers remain in business.
“President Trump promised to put the American ranchers first, and the Ranchers First Initiative delivers on that promise,” Rollins said in a statement. “We are investing real dollars to rebuild the Great American Beef Herd, giving producers the risk management tools they need, cutting the red tape that has squeezed small and independent operators, and demanding transparency in a marketplace that has been consolidated and foreign-owned for far too long.”
Gregg Doud, president and CEO of the National Milk Producers Federation, says the unintended consequences of federal intervention in agricultural commodity markets such as the recent decision to eliminate the tariff on imported beef will hurt both beef and dairy farmers.
"Cull cow and calf sales have become a key economic driver for U.S. dairy farmers, equating to roughly 20% of annual dairy farm income, and more than 20% of the U.S. beef production is now being supplied by dairy farms. Current beef prices have helped push dairy cow numbers to the highest point in the United States since 1992; meanwhile U.S. milk production is up 2.7% versus last year. Both trends help keep beef and dairy products affordable for consumers; dairy is stepping up to contribute to solving the consumer challenge of higher beef prices," he said an a statement.
Doud says rewarding imports sends the wrong message to U.S. dairy farmers and manufacturers who are investing billions of dollars to grow the domestic supply of beef and dairy products.
"The decision to remove duties on imports of 300,000 metric tons of beef over the next 90 days will have a short-term, muted price impact for consumers. But the effects on both dairy and beef producers could be felt for some time by delaying the necessary economic signal sent to U.S. producers to increase beef production."
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Among the initiative’s key components is a new Beef Retention and National Development (BRAND) endorsement under the Livestock Risk Protection insurance program. The endorsement would allow producers to insure the value of retaining heifers for breeding over a two-year period. USDA said the tool is intended to encourage herd expansion by reducing financial risks associated with keeping replacement females.
The department also announced changes related to the Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) and Grassland Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). Producers will be allowed to use ECP assistance on Grassland CRP acres following wildfires and other natural disasters, a move USDA said will help ranchers restore infrastructure and grazing resources more quickly.
To support meat processing capacity, USDA plans to establish a SPUR Guaranteed Loan Program, building on the existing Strengthening Processing for U.S. Ranchers (SPUR) initiative. The loan program is expected to help finance processor cooperatives, facility expansions and other regional processing projects.
In addition, the department will launch a Regional Processor Continuity Effort focused on strengthening the resilience of regional processing infrastructure. USDA said the effort comes as recent processing plant closures create opportunities for independent and locally owned processors to expand capacity.
USDA also announced plans to encourage federal agencies and institutions to purchase more locally processed American beef. The department said it will work with federal and state facilities, including hospitals, correctional facilities and other institutions, to increase domestic beef sourcing.
The initiative includes new efforts to support beginning and veteran ranchers. USDA said it will establish a Beginning and Veteran Farmers and Ranchers Affairs initiative and work with federal partners to connect military service members transitioning to civilian life with agricultural careers. The department plans to leverage existing programs that provide access to land, livestock and equipment financing, conservation assistance and livestock insurance.
According to USDA, the Ranchers First Initiative is intended to strengthen cattle numbers, expand market opportunities for producers and support the long-term viability of family ranching operations across the country.
This article originally appeared on Wisconsin State Farmer: USDA launches Ranchers First Initiative to support U.S. cattle producers
Source: “AOL Money”
