Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins says beef prices will come down in 2026

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins on Monday said beef prices could come down by next spring.

Ms. Rollins’ prediction is rosier than an estimate from Omaha Steaks CEO Nate Rempe, who said the price of ground beef could soar from more than $6 per pound currently to $10 a pound next year before coming down by 2027.

“The president is hyper, hyper focused on this,” Ms. Rollins said on Fox Business. “Our numbers and our formulas are showing that prices will start coming down as soon as next spring and certainly by summer and fall of next year.”

The administration is seeking ways to reduce grocery prices after Democrats used affordability issues to win major elections this month.

Mr. Trump recently signed an executive order that slashes tariffs on grocery items that are not made in the U.S. or cannot be produced in sufficient numbers to meet demand, such as beef, coffee and certain fruits.

The current price of ground beef is up $1 per pound from average prices in 2024.

Ms. Rollins blamed a confluence of factors, including drought and screwworm disease, which dwindled herd sizes.

She said the Biden administration’s climate policies made it more difficult to increase herd sizes.

“We are suffering from the last administration’s literal war on cattle,” Ms. Rollins said.

At the same time, demand for beef remains high, creating a mismatch with supply.

“People want more beef. It’s extremely healthy,” Ms. Rollins said.

Ms. Rollins said prices will decrease by early 2026 as the administration implements a multi-step plan to bring down prices.

The plan includes releasing 5 million acres for ranchers to lease from the government, implementing programs that help young ranchers get loans and working with the “Make America Healthy Again” movement to promote locally grown beef.

Also, the blueprint calls for opening up new, smaller processing plants and overhauling labeling to promote American-made beef.

Mr. Trump also wants to buy a larger quota of beef from Argentina. The plan got a cold reception from U.S. cattle ranchers, who said it would meddle with the domestic market.