United States President Donald Trump announced Friday that the US would temporarily allow a greater volume of foreign beef imports, in his latest bid to lower costs for American consumers as midterm elections approach.The US cattle herd has shrunk to its smallest size since the 1950s, in part due to drought and international competition, with the diminishing numbers pushing beef product prices higher.
"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," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.
The US president did not say which countries would be exporting the beef but added there was a commitment to sell it at 25 percent below market prices.
Steeper beef prices have become a symbol of high living costs in the world's biggest economy, pressing the Trump administration to take steps to bring costs down.
Affordability will be a key issue in November's midterm elections, where Democrats are seeking to wrest control of both houses of Congress from Trump's Republicans.
