Trump Says Farmers Can 'Process Their Own Food,' Hits 'Nasty Monopoly'

TL;DR: President Trump said Friday, Aug. 28, 2026, that he is authorizing legal documents to let farmers and ranchers process their own food, calling the four dominant meatpackers a "nasty monopoly" with ownership "based outside of the U.S." Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins replied "We are on it" and pledged USDA action starting Monday, Aug. 31.

Key takeaway

Trump's on-farm processing pledge will likely require a regulatory process or congressional action, because farmers still cannot sell meat "by the cut" without federal inspection.

What happened

President Trump said Friday, Aug. 28, 2026, that he is authorizing legal documents to allow farmers and ranchers to process their own food. He characterized the four dominant meatpackers, often called the "Big Four," as a "nasty monopoly" whose ownership is largely "based outside of the U.S."

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins responded to the announcement with "We are on it." She pledged that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) would begin initiatives on Monday, Aug. 31, including rescinding rules the administration described as "outdated."

Skeptics note that farmers and ranchers can already slaughter and process their own meat. What they cannot currently do is sell that meat "by the cut" to consumers without federal inspection, according to reporting from Axios and POLITICO. POLITICO reports that a sweeping change of this kind will likely require a longer-term regulatory process or congressional action.

The announcement comes amid rancher backlash over a separate Trump deal to waive tariffs on up to 300,000 metric tons of imported beef trimmings. That policy has drawn opposition from within the president's own party. Sen. Katie Britt (R-AL) and Alabama cattlemen have opposed the beef import waiver, and Rep. Tom Tiffany (R-WI) has broken with Trump on beef imports. You can track where members stand on livestock issues in our vote tracker.

What it means

For ranchers and small livestock producers, the practical question is whether they can legally sell processed cuts directly to consumers. Under current law, that generally requires federal inspection, so an announcement alone does not change what a producer can sell tomorrow.

Here is the current state of play for producers:

• On-farm slaughter and processing: Already legal for personal use and, in many states, limited direct sales.
• Selling "by the cut" to the public: Generally requires USDA or state inspection under a cooperative program.
• Interstate sales: Typically require federal inspection, a higher bar than in-state sales.

The tension between the processing pledge and the beef import waiver is central to the rancher response. Waiving tariffs on imported beef trimmings can lower input costs for processors but adds foreign supply that competes with domestic cattle. See how livestock and competition provisions compare to prior law in our breakdown of what's new versus the 2018 Farm Bill.

Any durable expansion of on-farm processing would touch USDA inspection authority and funding. Our funding breakdown tracks how meat and poultry inspection resources are allocated across the bill.

What's next

USDA said it would begin initiatives on Monday, Aug. 31, 2026, including rescinding rules it called "outdated." As of Aug. 29, 2026, the specific rules and legal documents have not been detailed publicly.

Because farmers still cannot sell meat "by the cut" without federal inspection, a lasting change is expected to require formal rulemaking or legislation. That process would likely include public comment periods and, if statutory changes are needed, action by Congress. Readers can follow legislative movement on our timeline and status page.

Republican divisions over the beef import waiver may shape how far the processing effort advances. As of Aug. 29, 2026, no bill text tied to the announcement has been released. Constituents who want to weigh in can reach lawmakers through our contact Congress resource.

Frequently asked questions

Can farmers and ranchers already process their own food?

Yes. Farmers and ranchers can already slaughter and process their own meat, according to reporting from Axios and POLITICO. The key limit is sales. Producers generally cannot sell meat "by the cut" to the public without federal inspection. President Trump's Aug. 28, 2026 announcement targets that gap, but a lasting change would likely require regulation or congressional action.

What did Trump say about the meatpackers?

Trump characterized the four dominant meatpackers, often called the Big Four, as a "nasty monopoly" on Friday, Aug. 28, 2026. He said their ownership is largely "based outside of the U.S." He paired that criticism with a pledge to authorize legal documents letting farmers and ranchers process their own food. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins responded, "We are on it."

When will USDA act on this announcement?

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said USDA would begin initiatives on Monday, Aug. 31, 2026, including rescinding rules described as "outdated." As of Aug. 29, 2026, the specific rules and legal documents have not been publicly detailed. POLITICO reports that a sweeping change will likely require a longer-term regulatory process or congressional action rather than taking effect immediately.

What is the beef import waiver ranchers are upset about?

Trump reached a separate deal to waive tariffs on up to 300,000 metric tons of imported beef trimmings. Ranchers have pushed back because the added foreign supply competes with domestic cattle. Sen. Katie Britt (R-AL) and Alabama cattlemen have opposed the waiver, and Rep. Tom Tiffany (R-WI) has broken with Trump on beef imports, adding to Republican divisions.

Does this announcement change the Farm Bill?

Not directly, as of Aug. 29, 2026. Trump's announcement is an executive action pledge, not a change to H.R. 7567 or the Senate's competing draft. Because farmers still cannot sell meat "by the cut" without federal inspection, a durable expansion could require legislation. If Congress acts, related meat inspection and competition provisions could move through the Farm Bill process.

Sources

• The Hill , Trump moves to let farmers and ranchers process their own food, dated 2026-08-28.
• Axios / POLITICO , On-farm processing change likely needs regulation or congressional action, dated 2026-08-28.
• The Guardian , Rancher backlash over beef-import tariff waiver, dated 2026-08-28.