By Bridgette Williams
President Donald Trump signed two executive orders Sept. 4 aimed at the cattle industry, while USDA announced four additional actions under its Ranchers First Initiative.
The first executive order addresses predator control and country-of-origin labeling, directing the Interior Department to review the status of gray and Mexican wolves under the Endangered Species Act and USDA to examine options for restoring mandatory country-of-origin labeling for beef.
The second focuses on competition and meat processing, directing USDA to step up Packers and Stockyards Act enforcement and work with the Justice Department on livestock-market competition. It also calls for expanding programs that allow state-inspected meat to move across state lines and provide more assistance to small and regional processors.
USDA separately announced four actions:
Enroll nearly 1 million additional acres in Grasslands CRP.
Nearly double participation in USDA’s remote beef-grading program.
Expand use of instrument-enhanced beef grading.
Redirect USDA’s agricultural “lawfare” strike force toward legal actions affecting ranchers, including what the department describes as unfair or excessive eminent-domain cases.
The package follows USDA’s 2025 Beef Industry Plan and the Ranchers First Initiative announced earlier this week, as the U.S. cattle herd remains at its smallest level since the 1950s.
Photo Credit: Tearza Hargrave