CASCADE TOWNSHIP, Mich. — The federal government is allowing more imported lean beef into the U.S. at a lower tariff rate starting Tuesday, hoping to bring down prices for consumers.
What's Changing
For the next 90 days, the U.S. is opening the door to up to 300,000 metric tons of imported lean beef trimmings — 100,000 each month.
The lean beef is typically mixed with fattier U.S. beef to make the ground beef sold in stores.
Impact on Shoppers
The move comes as higher beef prices have forced many shoppers to change their habits.
"Fridays used to be steak night. Every Friday was steak night. I'm not going to spend $80, $90 on a box of steaks. I'm just not going to do it. So I make pizza," said Tom Gottlick, a Cascade neighbor.
Will Prices Actually Drop?
Experts question whether consumers will see much relief at checkout.
"It's still to be known whether it will actually make any impacts on the market, but likely not anything too sizable," said Dr. Jaime Luke, a livestock economist at Michigan State University.
Luke said the new imports are still a small piece of the overall U.S. beef supply, which is one reason she doesn't expect big price changes.
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The Downside for Farmers
The policy could also hurt local cattle farmers. Jerad Jaborek, an MSU Extension beef educator, said increased imports could drive down the prices farmers receive for their cattle.
"We don't have a lot of cattle, the cost of production has gone up. So if we want to maintain the U.S. beef supply, I mean our production and help those ranchers and farmers that we have here locally, it's obviously going to drop prices for them," Jaborek said.
Consumer Outlook
Gottlick said he's not counting on the policy to change his shopping habits.
"I guess, to be determined. It's not going to change my shopping habits," he said. "A lot of the world we cannot control, but I can control my budget, I can control what comes into the house, and so I guess that's the empowerment there."
What's Next
Federal officials are expected to monitor the program over the next three months. After that, the administration will have to decide what comes next.
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