Federal directive includes two inspection programs the governor cited as possible routes for Oklahoma processors.
OKLAHOMA CITY — President Donald Trump’s latest livestock order includes two federal meat-inspection programs Gov. Kevin Stitt is promoting as possible routes for more Oklahoma processors to sell meat across state lines.
Trump signed the executive order Friday. Separately, Stitt publicly announced letters urging the administration and congressional agriculture leaders to remove barriers preventing qualified state-inspected processors from entering interstate markets.
“Increasing the supply of beef available to American consumers does not have to depend solely on increasing foreign imports,” Stitt said. “We should also remove unnecessary barriers that prevent American ranchers and American processors from supplying American consumers.”
Trump’s order includes both federal programs cited by Stitt. It does not, by itself, approve any Oklahoma processor for interstate sales.
Two paths to interstate sales
Oklahoma processors operating under state inspection may sell meat commercially within the state but generally cannot ship it across state lines. Federally inspected processors can sell their products nationwide.
In his letter to Trump and U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, Stitt asked federal officials to promptly review and approve additional Oklahoma processors for the Talmadge-Aiken Cooperative Inspection Program. The program uses state personnel to perform federal inspection duties at participating facilities.
Stitt also asked the U.S. Department of Agriculture to determine whether the Cooperative Interstate Shipment Program could provide another route for eligible state-inspected processors to sell outside Oklahoma.
Trump’s executive order directs USDA to accelerate outreach and streamline state participation in those programs. It also calls for technical assistance and training for small processors and modernization of federal meat inspection.
The order gives the agriculture secretary 60 days to report on participation in federal-state inspection programs, remaining barriers and federal restrictions on interstate sales.
Stitt said expanding interstate sales could create new markets for Oklahoma cattle, increase domestic processing capacity and strengthen competition in the meatpacking industry.
In a separate letter, Stitt asked House and Senate agriculture leaders to address interstate market access as they work on the 2027 Farm Bill.
Stitt said Oklahoma’s inspection program already must maintain requirements at least equal to federal standards. State inspectors conduct daily onsite inspections when inspected products are being produced, he said.
The dispute over imports
Trump’s Aug. 26 proclamation temporarily increased the lower-tariff quota for imported lean beef trimmings by 300,000 metric tons.
The additional quota was divided into three installments of 100,000 metric tons each. The first opened Sept. 1. Lean imported trimmings typically are blended with fattier domestic trimmings to make ground beef.
The administration said the additional supply is intended to reduce consumer prices. The Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association opposed the move, saying it created market uncertainty as producers considered whether to rebuild their herds.
