Trump approves duty-free import of 660 million pounds of Brazilian beef trimmings
President Donald Trump signed a proclamation allowing duty-free entry of 660 million pounds of low-cost beef trimmings, primarily from Brazil, into the U.S. food supply.
In August, President Donald Trump authorized the duty-free import of 660 million pounds of inexpensive beef trimmings, a bulk that will be mixed into ground beef sold across the United States. The policy follows a 2015 congressional vote that removed the requirement to label meat with its country of origin, meaning consumers will have no way to identify the foreign origin of the product. The timing of the proclamation coincided with a White House meeting with Joesley Batista, whose family runs JBS, the global beef giant known for past food-safety breaches and a 2017 admission of bribing Brazilian officials.
Investigative journalist Eric Schlosser described the decision as a corrupt deal that disadvantages U.S. ranchers and introduces meat most likely to be contaminated. Schlosser, author of "Fast Food Nation," argued that the United States now operates two parallel food systems: one catering to wealthier, health-conscious consumers, and another that supplies low-cost, mass-produced food to working-class and poorer Americans, raising concerns about safety and equity.
Why it matters
The policy could expose U.S. consumers to lower-quality imported meat and undermine domestic producers.
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