08/31/2026
Real talk y'all! We've gotten quite a few calls about the recent announcement that the U.S. is temporarily increasing imports of beef trim. We understand the concern, but we don't want anyone to panic about the beef they're buying at Boone's.
First and foremost, we support American farmers and ranchers. Our business has depended on the livestock producers who have fed this country for generations, and this announcement doesn't change that commitment.
Second, this announcement does not change how we source our beef. We aren't switching suppliers or changing our products because of this program.
The U.S. cattle herd has been at historically low levels for several years, which is one of the reasons beef prices have remained high. But we aren't running out of beef, and importing beef isn't new.
What's changing is that the U.S. will temporarily allow up to 300,000 additional metric tons of lean beef trim to enter the country over a 90-day period. The administration estimates this represents roughly a 10% increase over current projections. Importing lean beef trim for ground beef isn't new. The U.S. has relied on imported lean trim for years to supplement our domestic beef supply and blend with the fattier trim produced here. What's changing is the amount we're allowing in, not the basic way ground beef is supplied in this country.
We know the words “beef shortage” can bring back memories of empty meat cases during COVID. That's not what's happening here. This is an effort to add more beef to an already functioning supply chain, not a response to grocery stores running out of ground beef.
At Boone's, some of our beef comes from cattle harvested right here in our USDA-inspected facility. We also purchase beef from a small number of established US suppliers because we can't harvest enough cattle ourselves to keep our retail cases full and our prices competitive.
We think you should ask questions about where your food comes from, and we're always happy to answer them. But we also don't want a big headline to create unnecessary worry. In the overall U.S. beef supply, this is a relatively small change. It doesn't change what we're doing at Boone's.
We'll continue working to bring you fresh, safe, wholesome meat at the best prices we can.