Trump's Proclamation Could Flood U.S. Markets With Unlabeled Foreign Beef
Donald Trump signed a proclamation allowing roughly 660 million pounds of foreign beef to enter the United States without inspection or the usual tariff, raising concerns about food safety and transparency.
Donald Trump issued a one-person proclamation that permits about 660 million pounds of imported beef to bypass standard inspections and the 26.4 percent out-of-quota tariff, effectively hiding its country of origin from shoppers. The move follows a private meeting between Brazilian meat-packing magnate Joesley Batista and Trump, after which the president announced the policy on his social-media platform. Past scandals involving Uruguay, Argentina and Brazil have shown that imported beef can contain banned drugs and antibiotics.
Meanwhile, the FDA is handling a record 19 simultaneous food-borne illness outbreaks and has faced significant staff cuts, diminishing its ability to trace contamination. Agriculture Secretary Brook Rollins, who lacks a food-safety background, said she does not have details on the meat’s source, fueling further uncertainty about consumer protection.
Why it matters
Uninspected foreign beef could compromise U.S. food safety and deprive consumers of origin information.
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