WASHINGTON — R-CALF USA is renewing its call for mandatory country-of-origin labeling for beef following a White House move designed to bring additional foreign beef into the U.S. market and ease pressure on consumer prices.
President Donald Trump signed a proclamation Aug. 26 allowing as much as 300,000 metric tons of additional lean beef trimmings to enter the United States during a 90-day period without the normal out-of-quota tariff. The administration says increasing supplies of lean beef used in ground beef production could help bring prices down.
The additional imports fall under the tariff-rate quota category covering countries without separate trade arrangements or country-specific access. That group includes Brazil, Paraguay, Japan, Ireland and other European Union suppliers.
Normally, beef entering above the established quota faces a 26.4% tariff. The proclamation temporarily removes that additional tariff for the specified volume of lean beef trimmings.
The White House is also encouraging importers to market the additional product at prices 25% below the prevailing market price for lean trimmings.
For cattle producers, however, the debate goes beyond the amount of beef entering the country.
R-CALF USA argues consumers purchasing beef at retail still lack a clear way to determine whether cattle used to produce that beef were born, raised and processed in the United States or originated in another country.
The cattle organization says that puts U.S. ranchers in direct competition with lower-priced imported beef without giving American-produced beef the opportunity to compete based on its domestic origin.
R-CALF USA CEO Bill Bullard said the organization is disappointed with the decision to increase foreign beef supplies and believes mandatory country-of-origin labeling, commonly known as MCOOL, should accompany policies that expand imports.
The group is calling on Trump to support restoring mandatory labeling requirements and asking Congress to move legislation requiring beef sold to consumers to disclose its country of origin.
Mandatory COOL for beef has been a long-running issue within the cattle industry. Federal requirements for beef and pork were repealed in 2015 following trade disputes and adverse World Trade Organization rulings.
USDA’s newer voluntary “Product of USA” labeling rule took effect in 2026 and tightened when processors may make a U.S.-origin claim. However, the rule does not require every package of beef to carry an origin label.
With cattle supplies tight, beef prices elevated and imports receiving increased attention, R-CALF USA says mandatory labeling would allow consumers to decide whether they want domestic or imported beef while giving U.S. cattle producers a way to differentiate their product in the meat case.
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