Beef Tariff Rates 2026: The Ground Beef Tariff Waiver Is Now In Effect
What happened: On Friday morning, August 21, 2026, President Trump posted on Truth Social that he had "concluded a deal to substantially lower the price of ground beef for working American families," adding: "for the next 90 days, the United States will allow up to 300,000 metric tons of product for ground beef to be imported with no out of quota tariff." A White House official told multiple outlets that foreign beef exporters committed to a 25% discount passed along to consumers: "In exchange for this tariff relief, President Trump has secured a deal with foreign beef exporters who will provide a 25 percent discount on beef exports to be passed along to American consumers."
What landed: the August 21 announcement said the "executive order" would be signed within two weeks. What actually issued was Proclamation 11059, signed August 26, 2026 and published August 31, 2026 — a presidential proclamation that works through the beef tariff-rate quota rather than as a stand-alone waiver. It raises the 2026 in-quota quantity by 300,000 metric tons for four specific HTSUS lines of lean beef trimmings, releases the tonnage first come, first served in three 30-day tranches, and allocates the entire additional quantity to "other countries or areas." Entries under the added quota pay the in-quota rate of duty (4.4¢/kg) — not the 26.4% out-of-quota rate that would otherwise apply.
Here's what the increase means, how the beef tariff-rate quota works, and what importers should verify before booking shipments.
Key facts at a glance
| Waiver element | Detail |
|---|---|
| Announced | Friday, Aug 21, 2026 (morning, Washington) — Truth Social post |
| Instrument | Proclamation 11059 of August 26, 2026 — "Further Ensuring Affordable Beef for the American Consumer" (a proclamation, not an executive order) |
| Published | Federal Register, August 31, 2026 — 91 FR 55989 (FR Doc. 2026-17842); filed Aug 28, 2026 |
| Volume | 300,000 metric tons (~661.4 million lbs) added to the 2026 in-quota quantity of the beef TRQ |
| Scope | Lean beef trimmings under HTSUS statistical reporting numbers 0201.30.5091, 0201.30.5097, 0202.30.5091, 0202.30.5097 |
| Tranches | Three 30-day tranches of 100,000 MT, first come, first served: Sept 1–30, 2026 · Oct 1–30, 2026 · Oct 31 – Nov 30, 2026 (or until filled) |
| Duty treatment | Entries under the added quota pay the in-quota rate of duty (4.4¢/kg); the 26.4% out-of-quota rate is avoided. Not duty-free. |
| Allocation | The entire additional quantity goes to "other countries or areas"; the 80,000 MT Argentina allocation (Proclamation 11010) is unchanged |
| Discount condition | USDA and USTR must monitor whether the imports sell at 25% below the market price for lean beef trimmings; if not, the President may eliminate what remains |
| Retail benchmark | Ground beef averaged $6.89/lb in July 2026 (BLS) vs $5.55/lb in Jan 2025 — +24% since Jan 2025, +10% YoY |
| Authority | Section 404(b) of the Uruguay Round Agreements Act (19 U.S.C. 3601(b)), with 19 U.S.C. 3601(a) and (d)(3); Section 604 of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2483); 3 U.S.C. 301. HTSUS modified per the Annex; USTR may make further technical corrections by Federal Register notice |
| Status | IN FORCE — signed Aug 26, 2026, published Aug 31, 2026; first tranche opened Sept 1, 2026 |
Beef tariff rates 2026: how the tariff-rate quota works
Under Additional U.S. Note 3 to Chapter 2 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule, the United States maintains tariff-rate quotas (TRQs) for beef imports. In-quota imports "generally face a tariff of just 4.4 cents per kilogram, while imports above quota face a 26.4% tariff" (American Farm Bureau Federation via CNBC; USDA via NY Post). For beef valued around $7 per kilogram, that difference can exceed $1.80 per kilogram in tariff costs (AFBF via CNBC).
Proclamation 11059 answers the question the August announcement left open. Because the relief is implemented as an increase in the in-quota quantity, imports under the added 300,000 MT are subject to the in-quota rate of duty — 4.4¢/kg for the covered HTSUS lines — rather than entering duty-free. What they avoid is the 26.4% out-of-quota rate that applies above the quota. Customs and Border Protection administers the added quantity on a first-come, first-served basis (clause 5(c) of the proclamation).
What's covered: product scope and HTS codes
The scope is published. The added quantity applies only to lean beef trimmings classifiable under HTSUS statistical reporting numbers 0201.30.5091, 0201.30.5097, 0202.30.5091, and 0202.30.5097 (clause 2 of the proclamation) — the same four lines used for the February 2026 increase under Proclamation 11010. The Annex to the proclamation carries the implementing HTSUS modifications, and the U.S. Trade Representative may make further technical or ministerial corrections, including to the Annex, by Federal Register notice.
For scale: 300,000 metric tons is roughly half of total U.S. beef exports in H1 2026 (545,649 MT, -9% YoY) and about 16% of total 2026 YTD beef imports (1,864,629 MT through week 33, +13% YoY; USDA AMS).
Tranche schedule: how the 300,000 MT is released — read this carefully
- Three 30-day tranches, first come, first served. Tranche 1: 100,000 MT, Sept 1 – Sept 30, 2026. Tranche 2: 100,000 MT, Oct 1 – Oct 30, 2026. Tranche 3: 100,000 MT, Oct 31, 2026 until the added quantity is filled or Nov 30, 2026, whichever is earlier. The calculator treats Sept 1 – Nov 30, 2026 as the operative window.
- The cap can end it early. The added quota is 300,000 MT for calendar year 2026. Once it is filled, the normal out-of-quota 26.4% tariff resumes for further entries.
- Claiming mechanics are published. CBP administers the added in-quota quantity on a first-come, first-served basis and must ensure all eligible countries have full access; the agency is authorized to take operational measures to administer, implement and enforce the action (clause 5(c)). The four covered HTSUS lines are the classification gate.
- No country reservation. Clause 4 allocates the entire additional quantity to "other countries or areas" rather than naming suppliers; the August announcement's reference to a country list never became part of the instrument.
- Duty treatment is settled. The added tonnage enters at the in-quota rate of duty (4.4¢/kg) — the 4.4¢/kg question left open on Aug 21 is now answered. It is not a duty-free entry.
- No sunset beyond Nov 30, 2026. The proclamation sets no longer-term extension; it also states that no provision of earlier proclamations or executive orders inconsistent with it survives to the extent of the inconsistency.
Price context: what 25% below market means
Retail ground beef prices (BLS): $5.55/lb when President Trump took office (Jan 2025), rising to $6.89/lb in July 2026 — a +24% increase since Jan 2025 and +10% since July 2025 (Al Jazeera, citing BLS; NY Post, citing FRED/St. Louis Fed: $6.89/lb July 2026, +10% YoY, +57% over five years). The White House's Feb 6, 2026 fact sheet recorded ground beef at $6.69/lb in December 2025, "the highest since tracking began in the 1980s."
The proclamation does not bind exporters to a retail price cut. It states that the President anticipates the additional imports "will be sold at a discounted price compared with current sale prices" and directs the Secretary of Agriculture and the U.S. Trade Representative to monitor whether imports entered under the added in-quota quantity are being sold at a price 25% below the market price for lean beef trimmings. If they are not, those officials must immediately notify the President, who may eliminate what remains of the increase. Two caveats worth keeping in view: the 25% benchmark is measured on lean beef trimmings prices rather than retail ground beef, and Axios has noted that exporters do not set retail prices — retailers do.
Supply context and why now
The U.S. cattle herd was 86.2 million head as of Jan 1, 2026 — the smallest since the 1950s — with beef cow inventory down 8.6% since 2020 (USDA via NY Post/WH fact sheet). Total cattle and calf inventory was 94.2 million as of July 1, 2026, up less than 1% YoY — the first July increase since 2018. Contributing factors: drought/wildfires, high feed costs, herd liquidation, and the 2025 screwworm-related closure of the Mexican border to live cattle (southern-border ports reopened July 2026). Imported grinding beef "already is trading at a steep discount," and "the out-of-quota tariff has not been an issue for importers to this point as a record amount is being imported" (Altin Kalo, Steiner Consulting, via CNBC).
Who opposes it
The National Cattlemen's Beef Association (CEO Colin Woodall) says "flooding the market with government-subsidized, below-market beef is not the way to rebuild the American cattle herd" and that the move "sacrifices long-term stability for short term messaging." Also critical: U.S. Cattlemen's Association, Iowa Cattlemen's Association, American Association of Meat Processors, PMI Foods, and the American Farm Bureau, plus Senators Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.) and Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) and Reps. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio). PMI Foods' Darin Parker described the deal as "12,000 containers of beef trimmings under quota" — a short-term fix.
How to use the Tariff Calculator for this waiver
FAQ
Q: Did the ground beef tariff waiver take effect?
A: Yes. Proclamation 11059 of August 26, 2026, “Further Ensuring Affordable Beef for the American Consumer,” was published in the Federal Register on August 31, 2026 (91 FR 55989, FR Doc. 2026-17842), and it is in force. It increases the in-quota quantity of the beef tariff-rate quota by 300,000 metric tons for calendar year 2026. Note what the instrument is: a presidential proclamation, not an executive order, and the relief runs through the beef TRQ rather than as a stand-alone tariff waiver.
Q: What is the current US beef tariff rate?
A: Under the beef tariff-rate quota (Additional U.S. Note 3 to Chapter 2 of the HTSUS), in-quota lean beef trimmings enter at 4.4 cents per kilogram, while imports above the quota face a 26.4% ad valorem duty. The 300,000 metric tons added by Proclamation 11059 enter subject to the in-quota rate of duty — they are not duty-free — but they avoid the 26.4% out-of-quota rate.
Q: When does the extra 300,000 metric tons of beef quota open?
A: First come, first served, in three 30-day tranches of 100,000 metric tons each. Tranche 1 opened September 1, 2026 and closes September 30, 2026. Tranche 2 runs October 1 to October 30, 2026. Tranche 3 opens October 31, 2026 and stays open until the added quantity is filled or November 30, 2026, whichever is earlier. U.S. Customs and Border Protection administers the added quantity.
Q: Which beef products and HTS codes are covered?
A: Only lean beef trimmings classifiable under HTSUS statistical reporting numbers 0201.30.5091, 0201.30.5097, 0202.30.5091, and 0202.30.5097 — the same four lines used for the February 2026 lean beef trimmings quota increase. The proclamation's Annex carries the HTSUS modifications.
Q: Which countries can use the extra beef quota?
A: The additional 300,000 metric tons is allocated in its entirety to “other countries or areas,” so it is not reserved for one supplier. Proclamation 11059 leaves the 80,000 metric ton Argentina allocation from Proclamation 11010 untouched. FSIS/USDA country-eligibility rules still apply to the product itself.
Q: How much will ground beef cost under the quota increase?
A: The proclamation anticipates the additional imports will sell at a discount and directs the Secretary of Agriculture and the U.S. Trade Representative to monitor whether imports entered under the added in-quota quantity are sold at a price 25% below the market price for lean beef trimmings. If they are not, those officials must notify the President, who may eliminate what remains of the increase. Retail ground beef averaged $6.89/lb in July 2026 versus $5.55/lb in January 2025 (BLS) — the 25% benchmark applies to lean beef trimmings prices, not retail.
Q: How does this differ from the Feb 2026 Argentina quota increase?
A: February 2026 (Proclamation 11010) increased the 2026 in-quota quantity for lean beef trimmings from Argentina by 80,000 metric tons. Proclamation 11059 adds a separate 300,000 metric tons for calendar year 2026, open to “other countries or areas,” administered first come, first served in three 30-day tranches from September 1 to November 30, 2026, and it does not change the Argentina allocation.
Related guides: Tariff Calculator 2026 · Tariff news & client advisories · 2026 tariff exemption list · US tariff rates by country
Sources (verified September 10, 2026): Federal Register — Proclamation 11059, "Further Ensuring Affordable Beef for the American Consumer" (Aug 31, 2026, 91 FR 55989) · Politico — "Trump pauses quota tariff on 300,000 tons of beef ahead of midterms" · Al Jazeera — "Trump waives out-of-quota beef tariffs for 90 days to lower prices" · NY Post — "Trump lifts tariffs on 300K tons of ground beef, commits to 25% price drop" · CNBC — "Trump to allow import of 300,000 MT ground beef without tariff" · Bloomberg News wire via Bloomberg Tax — "Tariff Relief for Some Ground Beef Imports" · NYT — "Trump Announces Move to Lift Ground Beef Tariffs in Bid to Lower Prices" · Agri-Pulse — "Trump to lift beef tariffs within two weeks" · Axios — "Trump authorizes more beef imports in effort to lower prices" · White House fact sheet (Feb 6, 2026) · USTR TRQ allocation notice (90 FR 61497) · Proclamation 11010 (FR 2026-03050) · USDA AMS weekly import report (wk33 2026) · Truth Social post (President Trump, Aug 21, 2026). This page is an explainer, not legal or customs advice — consult a licensed customs broker or trade counsel for your specific entries. Last verified: September 10, 2026 against the Federal Register text of Proclamation 11059 (91 FR 55989) and the current HTSUS rates for the four covered lines.