The President issued an executive order directing federal agencies to review regulations affecting ranchers, address livestock predation by wolves, and evaluate mandatory country-of-origin labeling for beef. The document, released Sept. 10, 2026, sets 90-day deadlines for several agency officials to submit reports and recommendations. The order states it was signed on Sept. 4, 2026.
According to the order, ranchers provide a reliable domestic source of animal protein and ensure the country’s food security. The directive notes that the national herd has reached a 75-year low, while consumer demand for beef has grown almost 10 percent over the past decade.
A major portion of the order focuses on the gray wolf and the Mexican wolf. The Secretary of the Interior must determine within 90 days if the two species meet the Endangered Species Act criteria for delisting or downlisting. If the criteria are met, the Secretary must begin the regulatory process to change their status.
The order also requires the Secretary of the Interior to submit a legislative recommendation to fully delist or downlist the wolves. If the federal recovery criteria are met, the Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of Intergovernmental Affairs, in coordination with the Secretary of Agriculture, is directed to engage with states to encourage them to remove the wolves from state-level protected lists and revise standards for lethal takings to help ranchers combat predation.
Federal agencies must also review how they handle livestock depredation claims. The Departments of the Interior and Agriculture are instructed to consider amending their evidentiary standards and compensation regulations to ensure claims are assessed consistently and expeditiously. The Secretary of the Interior must also consider revising criteria to allow greater emergency responsiveness for lethal wolf removal when predators threaten livestock or human safety.
On the topic of labeling, the Secretary of Agriculture, in consultation with the United States Trade Representative, has 90 days to review legal authorities that could permit mandatory country-of-origin labeling for beef. The Secretary of Agriculture must provide an economic analysis of the labeling impacts and may subsequently issue regulations or develop legislative recommendations.
The order mandates a comprehensive regulatory review by the Secretaries of Agriculture and the Interior, the United States Trade Representative, the Commissioner of Food and Drugs, and the Administrator of the Small Business Administration. They must assess policies affecting ranchers and recommend actions to promote financial viability. Finally, the order directs agency heads to ensure these measures benefit consumers through lower prices to the maximum extent possible.