BROKEN ARROW, Okla. — Ground beef prices have climbed nearly 54% over the past five years, and a new federal plan to lower costs by flooding the market with imported beef is drawing sharp criticism from Oklahoma ranchers and state leaders.
President Trump announced on Truth Social that the U.S. will allow importing up to 300,000 metric tons of ground beef with no tariff for up to 90 days — a move aimed at bringing down prices for consumers.
Watch: Trump to allow some beef imports in effort to lower prices
According to Bureau of Labor Statistics data, the average price of a pound of ground beef was $4.46 in August 2021. By August 2025, that figure had risen to $6.31. Last month, it reached $6.85.
Broken Arrow resident Danielle Leander said rising costs have been felt across the board.
"We feel like having quality food is really important to us, and obviously you want to be able to make that accessible to everyone, and so I think inflation overall has just hit pretty much everywhere," Leander said.
David Rollandini, a cattle rancher and owner of the Feedlot Meat Market in Broken Arrow, said his store's sales have held steady despite the higher prices — but he has serious concerns about the import plan.
"Our sales haven't slowed, even with the high prices," Rollandini said.
Rollandini said the backlash from American ranchers to the federal announcement was immediate.
"The pushback from the American rancher was pretty well widespread. You know, the concern for ranchers is that we're flooding the market with inferior products from another country," Rollandini said.
While the plan could offer short-term relief at the checkout counter, Rollandini said the long-term consequences concern him.
"Just kind of feels like a slap in the face to the American rancher," Rollandini said.
The Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association is calling for the policy to be rescinded, calling it "extremely bad policy at exactly the wrong time for Oklahoma cattle producers."
In a statement, the association said: "At the very moment producers need confidence to invest in rebuilding the American cattle herd, this policy injects uncertainty into cattle markets and undermines the very producers being asked to rebuild it."
On Tuesday, Gov. Kevin Stitt signed an executive order creating the Oklahoma Beef Industry Advisory Council to "protect and grow Oklahoma's beef industry" in response to the federal government's plans to increase ground beef imports.
The council will be chaired by Secretary of Agriculture Blayne Arthur and will include leaders with experience in cattle production, beef processing, agricultural economics and market development.
"If Washington wants lower prices for Americans, it should focus on free market solutions that remove barriers that drive up cost, not undercut the American ranchers who feed our country," Stitt said.
Arthur said the council will work to find Oklahoma-led solutions for the industry.
Oklahoma is home to 4.65 million cattle and calves, including nearly 2 million beef cows, making it one of the nation's leading cattle-producing states.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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