Beef production cuts and import growth in the US

According to data from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), commercial beef production in the country totaled approximately 14.4 billion pounds from January through July of the current year. By comparison, this figure stood at around 15.2 billion pounds during the same period last year. Additionally, the number of commercially slaughtered livestock decreased: over the first seven months, the figure dropped from approximately 17.5 million head in 2025 to 16.2 million head in the current year.

Will Harris, owner of White Oak Pastures in Bluffton, Georgia, explained that the reduction in herds is due to producers having been unprofitable for a long time. At the same time, current high livestock prices are not yet incentivizing business expansion or the return of producers to the industry, since launching or developing a livestock enterprise requires major investments in land, machinery, and livestock. Against the backdrop of these trends, the United States is becoming a major net meat importer, increasing its dependence on foreign supplies.

Over years of working in the agricultural sector, Will Harris has changed his approach to farming. After graduating from the University of Georgia in 1976 with a degree in animal science, he initially applied standard methods, including antibiotics, chemical fertilizers, and technologies to stimulate growth. Later, having noticed the long-term damage to the land and the local community from such practices, the farmer transitioned to regenerative agriculture methods focused on natural cycles.