By Leah Douglas
WASHINGTON, Aug 26 (Reuters) - President Donald Trump on Wednesday signed a proclamation to temporarily increase imports of lean beef trimmings at a lower tariff rate, a move that has drawn strong opposition from U.S. farm and ranch groups.
The order released by the White House said that the step aimed to address beef prices that have "increased unreasonably" for U.S. consumers.
The order, which goes into effect September 1 and applies for 90 days, expands the quantity of trimmings eligible
to be imported at a lower tariff rate by 300,000 metric tons, according to a White House fact sheet.
Trump suggested last week that he would make the move, prompting the American Farm Bureau Federation, the nation's top farm lobby, to write to Trump that the lower rate would "undermine America's ranchers."
U.S. consumers have faced record-high beef prices this year, as drought and wildfires have pushed cattle supplies to a 75-year low.
The order only applies to trimmings meant to be combined with U.S. beef for ground beef and encourages the product to be sold at a 25% discount, a White House fact sheet said.
Trump took a similar step in February when he expanded lower-tariff imports for Argentinian beef, a move that was also criticized by ranchers.
Beef prices have been pressured by livestock import restrictions imposed by the Trump administration on Mexico to combat the spread of New World screwworm. This week, the U.S. began a phased reopening of some livestock ports along its southern border.
(Reporting by Kanishka Singh, Ismail Shakil, Christian Martinez, and Leah Douglas; Editing by Daphne Psaledakis, David Gregorio and Deepa Babington)
