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How much beef does the United States import annually and from which countries?
Executive summary
US beef imports have risen sharply since 2023, with most reputable forecasts and data products clustering around roughly 4.2–5.2 billion pounds for recent years and 2025 projections; USDA/ERS and several industry analysts put 2024 imports near 4.4 billion lb and 2025 forecasts between about 4.2 and 5.18 billion lb (ERS and USDA/WASDE sources) [1] [2] [3]. The largest foreign suppliers supplying processing and ground-beef needs are repeatedly named as Australia, Canada, Mexico, Brazil and New Zealand, with Oceania and South America singled out for 2025 import growth [4] [5] [2].
1. Record volumes as a policy and market story
U.S. import volumes reached record levels in the post‑2023 period as domestic beef production fell and processors sought lean trims for ground beef and foodservice; USDA’s ERS projected imports peaking in 2025 around 4.4 billion pounds (about two million metric tonnes), and USDA’s WASDE raised a 2025 import projection as high as 5.18 billion lb in some reporting—showing variation across official and market sources [1] [2] [6]. Industry analysis and trade trackers also documented unusually large monthly inflows in 2024, with several months above 400 million lb, which helped push annual totals higher [7] [8].
2. Who supplies the U.S.? Top origins and their roles
Multiple overviews and trade commentaries identify Australia, Canada, Mexico, Brazil and New Zealand among the largest suppliers; Australia and New Zealand provide substantial grass‑fed and chilled/frozen beef while Canada and Mexico supply fresh/chilled product and feeder animals, and Brazil has expanded shipments of processing beef and trimmings [4] [5] [9]. Reports note that Australia supplied roughly 1.1 billion lb to the U.S. in 2024 (~24% of imports in the cited estimate), Canada about 22%, and Brazil about 15% in that same 2024 snapshot—figures reported by a livestock trade commentator [4].
3. Why imports rose: herd dynamics and processing needs
Analysts tie rising imports to a smaller U.S. breeding herd and reduced cow slaughter that cut domestic supplies of lean grinding beef, prompting packers to turn to imports to meet demand for ground beef and foodservice cuts [4] [2]. USDA modeling and commentary say as domestic production weakened in 2024–25, import volumes were expected to increase to fill gaps—hence ERS and WASDE upward revisions to import forecasts [1] [2].
4. Disagreement and range in the numbers
Available sources do not present a single universally agreed number for “annual” imports because agencies and analysts use different vintages and assumptions: ERS’s chart and forecast cite a 2025 peak around 4.4 billion lb [1] [6], WASDE and S&P reporting referenced a USDA projection of 5.18 billion lb for 2025 in one release [2], and other industry compilations give varying annual estimates near 4.77 or 4.588 billion lb depending on timing and quota front‑loading [10] [8]. That spread reflects real uncertainty about seasonal shipments, quota timing, and whether front‑loaded entries early in the year are counted in a given calendar year [7].
5. Trade policy and quota mechanics matter
Beef tariff‑rate quotas and country‑specific certificates shape flows: U.S. Customs and Border Protection maintains quota bulletins and e‑CERT requirements for countries including Argentina, Australia, New Zealand and Uruguay; industry commentary notes that importers often “front‑load” shipments when quotas open Jan.1, pushing early‑year totals higher [11] [7]. Quota fill rates and the presence or absence of country quotas are important drivers of month‑to‑month swings [7].
6. Data sources and where to look for definitive figures
For the most granular and authoritative monthly and annual volumes (carcass‑weight‑equivalent pounds by partner country), USDA ERS’s Livestock and Meat International Trade Data product is the primary public dataset, updated monthly and released with country breakdowns [12]. Complementary reporting and WASDE forecasts provide forward‑looking projections; trade press and industry outlets (e.g., Brownfield, S&P Global, Beef Central) interpret those forecasts and report short‑term monthly tallies [2] [3] [6].
7. What’s missing or uncertain in the available reporting
Available sources do not provide a single reconciled, definitive “U.S. imports in 2024 and 2025 by country in one table” in this search set; instead you have overlapping estimates and forecasts from USDA ERS, WASDE, trade press and industry commentators that must be reconciled. If you need an exact, up‑to‑date country‑by‑country tonnage table, consult USDA ERS’s Livestock and Meat International Trade Data downloadable tables for annual totals and country partners [12].
Bottom line: credible public forecasts and trade analyses converge on the conclusion that U.S. beef imports jumped markedly in 2024 and into 2025—roughly in the 4.2–5.2 billion pound range depending on source—and that Australia, Canada, Mexico, Brazil and New Zealand are the principal suppliers, with quota timing and processing demand driving much of the variation across reports [1] [2] [4] [5].