Donald Trump removes grey wolf protections as record US beef prices squeeze ranchers

United States President Donald Trump has signed executive orders aimed at tackling soaring beef prices in the US by giving cattle ranchers more freedom to protect their herds from wolves, supporting smaller meat processors and pushing for greater information about where beef comes from.The measures, signed on Friday in the Oval Office, come as the US cattle herd has fallen to its lowest level in about 75 years, sending retail beef prices to record highs and putting pressure on the administration to find ways to increase supplies.Trump said the orders would make it easier for farmers and ranchers to process and sell meat from their own operations. One of the measures also addresses ranchers' concerns about gray wolves, which they say can attack cattle, particularly calves.Trump targets wolf attacks on cattleRanchers have long argued that wolves cause livestock losses and force them to spend more money protecting their animals.Gray wolves remain protected under the federal Endangered Species Act across large parts of the US, although their legal protection differs from one region to another. Trump's order is intended to give ranchers greater ability to protect their herds from the animals.The move comes as cattle producers are already unhappy with the administration's efforts to increase beef imports. They fear cheaper imported beef could put further pressure on domestic cattle prices at a time when ranchers are trying to rebuild the country's shrinking herd.Beef imports rise as prices hit recordsThe US cattle supply has been squeezed by drought and wildfires, which have contributed to a sharp decline in the national herd.To increase supplies and ease prices for consumers, the administration last week temporarily expanded access to lower-tariff imports of lean beef trimmings by 300,000 metric tonnes over three months.The policy has angered some cattle producers, who argue that bringing in more foreign beef could make it less attractive for ranchers to increase domestic production.Trump, however, has said imports can provide short-term relief for consumers while the US works to rebuild its cattle herd.Push for country-of-origin labelsAnother executive order seeks to give consumers more information about where their beef comes from, although it does not immediately bring back mandatory country-of-origin labelling.Trump said further action would require Congress to approve changes. "It will be easy," Trump said.Mandatory country-of-origin labelling for beef and pork was repealed by Congress in 2015 after a series of World Trade Organisation rulings involving challenges from Canada and Mexico.Under the current system, companies can voluntarily put a "Product of USA" label on beef if they meet federal requirements.The administration is therefore trying to balance two competing goals. It wants more imported beef to bring down prices in the short term, while also encouraging American ranchers to increase production and rebuild the domestic cattle herd.Alongside the measures on wolves and labelling, the administration is also backing smaller meat processors. The aim is to make it easier for ranchers to have their own cattle processed and sell the resulting meat, potentially reducing their dependence on the country's biggest meatpacking companies.Catch the latest World News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.