As 2026 begins, it’s worth looking back on one of the most consequential years in the modern American cattle industry. It was a year defined by historically high cattle prices paired with sharp market volatility, alongside major developments in R-CALF USA’s antitrust and electronic ID eartag cases, the dismissal of criminal charges against the Maudes, New World screwworm, and the cattle industry in headline news.
From working across all three branches of government in Washington, D.C., to outlying courtrooms, livestock markets and local meetings across rural communities, the past year reinforced that strong prices alone don’t fix a broken system.
In 2025, what independent producers have lived through and warned about for years moved into the national spotlight, as the decades-long contraction of the U.S. cattle industry drew attention from policymakers and consumers alike. Coverage and interviews related to R-CALF USA’s work and priorities appeared across a range of national and agricultural outlets, including Fox News, One America News, CNN, BBC, Newsweek, Reuters, Politico, Bloomberg, AP News, the New York Times, the Washington Times, the Wall Street Journal, RFD-TV, More Perfect Union and NPR, among others.
In November, President Trump announced he had asked the Department of Justice to immediately investigate major meatpacking companies. A month later, he expanded the scope by directing the DOJ and the Federal Trade Commission to investigate anticompetitive conduct across the food supply chain. The call for investigations followed extreme market volatility tied to announcements of increased beef imports and the closure of a large packing plant that resulted in significant losses for cattle producers. Around the same time, USDA released its plan to rebuild the U.S. cattle industry, the first comprehensive government plan in decades aimed at revitalizing the domestic cattle industry.
Throughout the year, New World screwworm remained one of the most immediate threats facing the cattle industry, and R-CALF USA stayed in frequent communication with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and White House officials as the situation evolved. Through it all, our position remained firm: the southern border must stay closed to livestock trade until Mexico can demonstrate it has eradicated the pest within its borders.
South Dakota ranchers Charles and Heather Maude were indicted in 2024 over a disputed 25-acre grazing allotment. Each faced up to 10 years in prison and $250,000 in fines. R-CALF USA, along with other industry groups, worked with the couple and the administration seeking to dismiss the charges. In April 2025, all criminal charges against the couple were dropped. In Washington state, the King Ranch was fined after the state claimed the family had illegally excavated wetlands, and later canceled the ranch’s grazing leases, shutting down operations across more than 21,000 acres. R-CALF USA joined other producer groups in calling for federal oversight, and USDA has since intervened.
Lawsuits
R-CALF USA’s historic class-action antitrust lawsuit against the Big Four beef packers, filed in April 2019, alleges the nation’s four largest beef packers unlawfully depressed U.S. fed cattle prices beginning in 2015. In January 2025, R-CALF USA and fellow plaintiffs filed a motion for preliminary approval of a class-action settlement with JBS. The proposed settlement included $83.5 million and nonmonetary cooperation. In August 2025, the court approved the settlement, and the case is proceeding with the remaining defendants. A class certification hearing was held in November 2025, and the case awaits the court’s decision following that hearing.
In April 2025, R-CALF USA joined a motion to intervene in a case to defend new protections under the Packers and Stockyards Act, as other industry groups seek to overturn those protections. The court granted DOJ’s request to pause the case while the Trump administration determines whether to defend the rule.
In our beef checkoff case, R-CALF USA alleged that USDA and state beef councils unlawfully entered agreements without seeking public comment. USDA challenged R-CALF USA’s right to bring the issue before the court, and a hearing was held in 2024. In March 2025, the court granted USDA’s motion for summary judgment on standing, bringing the case to a close.
R-CALF USA and the South Dakota Stockgrowers Association, along with several ranchers, filed a lawsuit in 2024 challenging USDA’s EID eartag mandate. In October 2025, the court rejected USDA’s attempt to dismiss the case and refused to strike key arguments, ruling that ranchers have standing and the lawsuit may proceed. The case is awaiting the government’s response.
In 2024, R-CALF USA joined a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the Corporate Transparency Act. In March 2025, the Treasury Department announced it would suspend the beneficial owner reporting deadline and limit the rule to foreign reporting companies. The case’s next hearing was canceled following the announcement.
Legislation
R-CALF USA worked with members of Congress and their staff to advocate for, draft, and endorse legislation consistent with member-voted policy.
Both the American Beef Labeling Act (S. 421) and the Country of Origin Labeling Enforcement Act (H.R. 5818) were reintroduced to restore mandatory country-of-origin labeling requirements on beef. The Opportunities for Fairness in Farming Act (S. 1848, H.R. 3516) was also reintroduced to reform the beef checkoff program.
On predator policy, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Pet and Livestock Protection Act (H.R. 845) on Dec. 18, 2025, returning gray wolf population management authority to individual states. The bill now moves to the Senate.
Additional legislation supported by R-CALF USA included the Processing Revival and Intrastate Meat Exemption (PRIME) Act (S. 2409, H.R. 4700), the New Markets for State-Inspected Meat and Poultry Act (S. 1496), the Protect America’s Lands Act (H.R. 1309), the Ranching Without Red Tape Act (H.R. 2238), the PASTURES Act (H.R. 774), the Fence Line Fairness Act (S. 1636), legislation to require the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to reissue a final gray wolf delisting rule (S. 1306), and the Pacific Northwest Gray Wolves Relief Act (H.R. 5171).
Congress has extended the deadline to pass a new farm bill to Sept. 30, 2026.
Meetings and Events
In 2025, R-CALF USA made stops in 12 states for events that included fundraisers, producer meetings, trade shows, college lectures, and conferences. A highlight was R-CALF USA’s 26th annual national convention and trade show, “All In,” held June 17–19 in Deadwood, South Dakota.
R-CALF USA leaders brought American ranchers’ voices to Washington numerous times and participated in dozens of meetings with policymakers, including with White House officials; U.S. senators and representatives and their staff; and officials at USDA, DOJ, the Department of the Interior and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.
In June, R-CALF USA CEO Bill Bullard testified before the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights, and in late September, Property Rights Chair Shad Sullivan participated in the U.S.-Mexico Policy Summit in Washington. Then in November, R-CALF USA traveled to Minneapolis for the class certification hearing in the antitrust case.
Public Comments, Letters and Statements
Throughout 2025, R-CALF USA actively engaged with the Trump administration and federal agencies as policies and regulations evolved, often responding through formal comments, letters and public statements.
On trade and food security, R-CALF USA pressed for reforms to the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement to restore fair competition, rebuild the U.S. cattle herd and strengthen national food security. We called for Section 232 investigations into the national security risks posed by cattle and beef imports, as well as the impact of lamb and mutton imports. We also submitted comments calling for the suspension of Brazilian beef imports amid a Section 301 investigation. R-CALF USA supported President Trump’s imposition of reciprocal 10% tariffs in April and the additional 40% tariff later imposed on Brazil, while opposing the administration’s decision to later remove both tariffs and its efforts to lower beef prices through increased imports.
On competition, R-CALF USA supported USDA’s advance notice of proposed rulemaking, “Price Discovery and Competition in Markets for Fed Cattle,” and formally requested that the Commodity Futures Trading Commission investigate a suspected false New World screwworm report that caused a cattle futures selloff on May 27. We also signed onto a Main Street Competition Coalition letter to President Trump calling for strong antitrust enforcement. R-CALF USA welcomed the administration’s investigations into anticompetitive conduct in the meatpacking industry and across the broader food supply chain, as well as USDA’s plan to rebuild the U.S. cattle industry.
On property rights, R-CALF USA urged the Environmental Protection Agency and the Army Corps of Engineers to adopt a more limited definition of waters of the United States under the Clean Water Act, consistent with the Supreme Court’s Sackett v. EPA ruling. We also opposed key portions of the U.S. Forest Service’s proposed Cimarron and Comanche National Grasslands land management plan revision.
On animal health, R-CALF USA coordinated with national, state and county cattle associations to urge Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins to delay resuming live cattle imports from Mexico. We called for a federal investigation into reports of cattle being smuggled into Mexico from Central American countries and issued ongoing public statements as screwworm developments emerged. In addition, R-CALF USA sought approvals for ivermectin as an oral feed-through for livestock and wildlife and for buparvaquone to treat cattle infected with theileriosis.
Coalition and Local Involvement
R-CALF USA worked with more than 20 state and local affiliated organizations and with national coalitions that reflect farm, ranch, consumer, manufacturing and trade interests. Coalitions included Protect American Lamb, the Coalition for a Prosperous America, the National MCOOL Coalition, the Livestock Competition Coalition and the Main Street Coalition, which is focused on antitrust concerns in the grocery industry.
Looking Ahead
As 2026 begins, new challenges and familiar battles lie ahead, but R-CALF USA’s commitment remains unchanged. We will continue working closely with Congress and the Trump administration to ensure American ranching families have an influential voice in determining the future direction of their industry. R-CALF USA will keep showing up, keep doing the work and keep pushing for MCOOL, fair trade, real antitrust enforcement and a competitive cattle market. On behalf of the R-CALF USA Board of Directors and staff, we wish you a Happy New Year and look forward to the year ahead.
