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What is the story about?
President Donald Trump said Friday he will make it easier for ranchers and farmers to process their own meat, as he seeks to reduce the control of the country’s four largest meatpacking companies. The announcement comes days after conservative radio host Glenn Beck pressed Trump to “break the back of those processing plants” by easing regulations on ranchers.
Trump has faced criticism from cattle ranchers and rural Republican lawmakers over his decision to temporarily pause tariffs on imported ground beef. The move was aimed at bringing down prices for consumers but angered domestic meat producers.
“Ranchers and Farmers have always been a number one priority for me,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post Friday morning vowing to ease meat processing rules. “In order to break this powerful monopoly, with much of its ownership based outside of the U.S., I am authorizing legal documents to be drawn in order to allow Farmers and Ranchers to be given the right to PROCESS THEIR OWN FOOD.”
The details of how the regulations would be changed remain unclear. Meat processors must currently meet strict safety and sanitation standards and undergo regular inspections before they can sell meat to the public.
Smaller ranchers can already slaughter and process their own meat, but they cannot sell it unless they meet the required regulatory standards. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins separately said new initiatives would be introduced from Monday. These could include rescinding “outdated guidance”, reducing regulatory hurdles and expanding ranchers’ ability to sell meat across state lines. She also suggested increasing funding for smaller meat processing operations.
“We are on it Mr. President,” Rollins wrote in response to Trump’s Truth Social post. “Our great AMERICAN ranchers produce the highest-quality, most incredible beef in the world AND it is a matter of national security that we be able to feed and fuel ourselves.”
Trump and former President Joe Biden have both criticised consolidation in the meatpacking industry. Four major processors control a large share of the US beef market, but previous efforts to change the industry’s competitive dynamics have had limited impact.
“So you’re saying, with less regulation, you think that the ranchers and farmers would do a very good job of processing the beef?” Trump asked. After Beck responded that they would, Trump said: “Wow. I’m going to look at that today.”
Trump had also raised the possibility of reducing meat processing regulations during his interview with Beck on Wednesday, after Beck complained that inspections and regulations were hurting ranchers.
Trump has faced criticism from cattle ranchers and rural Republican lawmakers over his decision to temporarily pause tariffs on imported ground beef. The move was aimed at bringing down prices for consumers but angered domestic meat producers.
“Ranchers and Farmers have always been a number one priority for me,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post Friday morning vowing to ease meat processing rules. “In order to break this powerful monopoly, with much of its ownership based outside of the U.S., I am authorizing legal documents to be drawn in order to allow Farmers and Ranchers to be given the right to PROCESS THEIR OWN FOOD.”
“Ranchers
and Farmers have always been a number one priority for me… I am authorizing legal documents to be drawn in order to allow Farmers and Ranchers to be given the right to PROCESS THEIR OWN FOOD. This should move quickly.” - President Donald J. Trump pic.twitter.com/VotYzZ3ihK
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) August 28, 2026
The details of how the regulations would be changed remain unclear. Meat processors must currently meet strict safety and sanitation standards and undergo regular inspections before they can sell meat to the public.
Smaller ranchers can already slaughter and process their own meat, but they cannot sell it unless they meet the required regulatory standards. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins separately said new initiatives would be introduced from Monday. These could include rescinding “outdated guidance”, reducing regulatory hurdles and expanding ranchers’ ability to sell meat across state lines. She also suggested increasing funding for smaller meat processing operations.
“We are on it Mr. President,” Rollins wrote in response to Trump’s Truth Social post. “Our great AMERICAN ranchers produce the highest-quality, most incredible beef in the world AND it is a matter of national security that we be able to feed and fuel ourselves.”
Trump and former President Joe Biden have both criticised consolidation in the meatpacking industry. Four major processors control a large share of the US beef market, but previous efforts to change the industry’s competitive dynamics have had limited impact.
“So you’re saying, with less regulation, you think that the ranchers and farmers would do a very good job of processing the beef?” Trump asked. After Beck responded that they would, Trump said: “Wow. I’m going to look at that today.”
Trump had also raised the possibility of reducing meat processing regulations during his interview with Beck on Wednesday, after Beck complained that inspections and regulations were hurting ranchers.
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