Trump Signs Order Allowing Ranchers to Process Their Own Meat, Sell It Across State Lines

President Donald Trump signed two executive orders on Friday to empower American ranchers, one of which allows them to process their own meat and sell it to consumers across state lines.

Trump signed the order, and another authorizing ranchers to protect against Mexican gray wolves, while flanked by ranchers and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins.

“Today, I’m thrilled to announce that my administration is taking historic action to help our nation’s great cattle ranchers and deliver American meat processed to the highest standard … there will be no standard higher in the world, and sold at the lowest prices directly to the consumer,” the president said.

“So for the first time ever, we’re going to give farmers and ranchers the right to process their own food. That’s a big announcement,” he went on to add. 

Trump said he will establish a program through which ranchers can bypass the four major companies that hold what he called “a monopoly” on processing the food. Trump assured that “very strong safety inspections” will be conducted on the meat.

According to the White House, under the order, Rollins is directed to take a number of actions within the Department of Agriculture:

• The Order directs the Secretary of Agriculture to prioritize investigations into potential violations of the Packers and Stockyards Act, increase federal resources for these investigations, and review existing policies under the Act to strengthen protections for producers and ensure effective deterrence.
• The Order directs the Secretary of Agriculture to modernize meat inspections to focus on core safety, boost processing efficiency and technology, lower costs to add value for ranchers and consumers, and remove unnecessary and burdensome requirements that do not support essential food safety needs.
• The Order directs the Secretary of Agriculture to create a “one stop shop” resource and coordinator position within the Department of Agriculture to expand federal licensing and connect producers to inspection options, provide additional resources and training for small and very small meat processors, expand interstate market access for eligible meat products, and streamline processes to increase State participation in the State Meat and Poultry Inspection Program, the Cooperative Interstate Shipment Program, and the Talmadge-Aiken Cooperative Inspection Program.
• The Order directs the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a “Strengthening Processing for U.S. Ranchers” loan program to help small and regional processors continue their operations, expand their footprint, and increase diversity of animal proteins being processed.

The second order directs a review and modernization of all federal “agency regulations and policy to promote ranchers’ interests,” including a review of whether gray wolves can be delisted or downlisted as an endangered species.