Donald Trump announced he will authorize ranchers and farmers to process their own food, following criticism of his decision to suspend tariffs on foreign beef imports. The move comes after conservative commentator Glenn Beck urged Trump to address what he called a “meat processing cartel” and ease regulations for ranchers. Several Republicans and industry leaders argue the tariff suspension will hinder herd rebuilding, already at a 75-year low, while Trump alleges a monopoly by four large processors.
Separately, a federal judge in Massachusetts issued a restraining order blocking the U.S. Postal Service from implementing Trump’s plans to regulate mail-in ballots, deeming the plans likely unconstitutional and impossible to implement before the election. Judge Indira Talwani, an Obama appointee, cited a lack of evidence of widespread mail-in voting fraud and the potential for widespread disenfranchisement. The Justice Department is expected to appeal, potentially leading to a Supreme Court showdown, after a previous attempt to block the rule was dismissed as premature.
The postal service’s plan, initiated by Trump’s executive order in March, would require states to submit voter lists and use specially marked envelopes with tracking barcodes. The rollback of the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule, also announced by the Trump administration, could put 7.4 million acres of endangered-species habitat and nearly 1,800 miles of protected rivers and streams at risk, opening those areas to roads, drilling, and logging. The Center for Biological Diversity reports this could accelerate extinction for more than 400 species. The administration argues the rule’s rescission will improve forest health and reduce wildfire risk.
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