By Andi Anderson
Ground beef production in the United States depends on a careful balance between lean and fat trimmings. Recent shifts in cattle markets are tilting that balance toward fat, making imports of lean trim increasingly important in 2025.
Domestic lean trim supplies have fallen due to lower cow slaughter. Through June, combined beef and dairy cow slaughter is down 13%, leading to an estimated 10% drop in lean trimmings production.
Cull cows and bulls provide the bulk of lean trim, particularly the 85% and 90% lean products widely used in ground beef.
At the same time, fed cattle weights are pushing higher. While fed cattle slaughter is down 4%, dressed steer weights have climbed 3%, producing more pounds of fat trim. The result is a U.S. trimmings market with proportionally less lean material and more fat, creating challenges for ground beef processors.
Imports of lean trim have become essential to offset this imbalance. So far in 2025, imports are sharply higher, up 28% in June and 33% year-to-date, with the majority being lean trimmings.
Brazil has been the leading source, supplying 25% of total imports in the first half of the year. However, higher tariffs are expected to limit future shipments from Brazil, shifting more emphasis to other suppliers.
Australia and New Zealand have stepped up to fill some of that gap, with imports rising 35% and 8%, respectively. Their lean trim supplies are critical in balancing U.S. production and preventing extreme price swings.
Without these imports, the market would rely solely on higher prices to ration limited lean supplies among end users. Imports, therefore, play a stabilizing role, ensuring steady ground beef production despite shifts in domestic slaughter and carcass weights.
Photo Credit: gettyimages-sstajic
Categories: Ohio, Business