The White House announced that President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing a governmentwide review of federal regulations, guidance and policies affecting ranchers. The Interior Department, U.S. Trade Representative, Food and Drug Administration and Small Business Administration must assess potential actions to improve ranchers’ financial viability and market access, while all executive agencies must ensure that implemented measures lower consumer prices. The order directs the Interior Department to assess whether gray wolves and Mexican wolves qualify for delisting or downlisting under the Endangered Species Act, begin the applicable process and prepare legislative recommendations. The Interior and Agriculture departments must update compensation standards for ranchers’ predator losses and ease authorization for lethal removal when necessary. The Agriculture Department must also review country of origin labeling for beef and may propose regulatory or legislative changes. The measures respond to a national cattle herd described as being at a 75-year low, although cattle numbers have recently begun increasing for the first time since 2018. Beef demand has grown almost 10% over the past decade, while drought, wildfires and reduced feed and forage availability have constrained herd size.

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