President Donald Trump's decision to allow more tariff-free imported beef has triggered backlash from some cattle producers and local leaders, but new polling suggests it has yet to produce a measurable shift in his approval ratings across America's biggest beef-producing states. The polling data comes from Civiqs’ rolling online tracking survey of 126,377 responses from registered voters. A Newsweek analysis compared Civiqs approval figures from August 21, when Trump first announced the tariff waiver, with polling six days later on August 27.
It also looked back at where Trump’s approval rating stood on January 20, 2025, the first day of his second term, with net approval calculated as approve minus disapprove. Use the map below to explore where Trump's approval rating stands in America's biggest beef states. Trump announced on August 21 that the United States would admit up to 300,000 metric tons of imported beef tariff-free for 90 days to help lower ground-beef prices.
The move has angered some ranchers and producer groups while Republicans head into a crucial midterm election stretch with a number of competitive races in major cattle states. Cattle producers fear lower domestic beef prices, while Republican candidates must balance support for Trump's affordability agenda with concerns from ranching communities. The 10 largest beef-producing states account for more than half of the country's cattle inventory.
Together, they provide a useful snapshot of how Trump's political standing is holding up in an industry directly affected by the administration's latest trade decision. The White House argues additional imported beef could help bring down food prices for consumers. Critics say it risks hurting domestic producers at a time when ranchers are rebuilding the national cattle herd.
As of August 27, 2026, Texas, the largest beef-producing state with 4.0 million head of cattle, remained at a net approval rating of -17 when compared to before Trump’s latest announcement. Missouri remained at -9, while Nebraska held at -2. South Dakota stayed at +9, Montana at +7, North Dakota at +19, Florida at -11 and Kentucky at -5.
Kansas was the only member of the top-10 list to move, improving slightly from +1 to +2. Taken together, the data suggests the beef controversy has not yet produced an immediate statewide polling reaction. While the short-term impact appears limited, the longer-term picture looks very different.
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