US President, Donald Trump has announced a temporary increase in beef imports as his administration seeks to ease rising meat prices and reduce pressure on American consumers ahead of the November midterm elections.

Trump said on Friday that the United States would permit the importation of up to 300,000 metric tonnes of beef intended for ground beef over the next 90 days without the additional tariff normally applied to imports beyond existing quotas.

The president said the measure was part of efforts to increase supply while American ranchers work to rebuild the country’s shrinking cattle herd.

Trump made the announcement on his Truth Social platform but did not identify the countries expected to supply the additional beef.

He said, however, that there was an agreement for the imported products to be sold at prices 25 per cent below prevailing market rates.

The move comes as beef prices have emerged as a major concern for American households, with the US cattle population falling to its lowest level in decades. Drought conditions and other pressures on the livestock industry have contributed to the decline in herd numbers and increased the cost of beef.

Affordability has become a major political issue in the United States, with the high cost of food and other essentials expected to feature prominently in the November elections.

However, the decision to increase imports has drawn opposition from sections of the American cattle industry.

Senator Deb Fischer of Nebraska, one of the country’s major cattle-producing states, criticised the policy, arguing that increased foreign supplies could undermine domestic producers.

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association also rejected the move, saying the use of government-supported, below-market beef imports would not address the underlying problem of rebuilding the US cattle herd.

Its chief executive, Colin Woodall, warned that the policy could discourage ranchers from expanding their herds and create long-term instability in the industry.

Responding to the criticism, Trump maintained that reducing beef prices was necessary because it reflected the concerns of American voters and his administration’s priorities.

The latest measure is part of a broader series of steps taken by Trump to address the cost of beef.

Last year, he called on ranchers to reduce prices and subsequently supported efforts to increase imports of beef trimmings from Argentina in an attempt to bring down the cost of ground beef.

His administration has also opened an investigation into the meatpacking industry over concerns about elevated red-meat prices.

The beef market is facing additional pressure as US households contend with persistent inflation and higher energy and transportation costs.

Despite the increase in prices, demand for beef remains strong. The US Department of Agriculture projects that Americans will consume about 29.4 billion pounds of beef this year, exceeding the previous year’s level.

The American Farm Bureau Federation has warned that domestic cattle production is currently insufficient to meet the country’s appetite for beef.

The organisation said ranchers would need to rebuild the national herd, or consumer demand would eventually have to decline, before a sustained reduction in beef prices could be achieved.

However, uncertainty within the cattle industry continues to complicate efforts to expand production, including concerns over animal health threats such as the New World screwworm, a flesh-eating parasite that poses a risk to livestock.