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The United States has recorded commercial beef and live cattle imports from neighboring North American partners like Canada and Mexico since the 19th and early 20th centuries, but it became a consistent, permanent net importer of beef on a large global scale starting in the late 1950s.
Historical Context
Early Trade (Pre-1950s): Small-scale and regional trans-border cattle movements from Mexico and Canada existed for generations to stock U.S. ranches or feedlots.
The Shift (1950s–1960s): Rising domestic consumer demand for processed and ground beef led the U.S. to routinely source lean manufacturing beef from global producers like Australia and New Zealand. This led to the enactment of the Meat Import Act of 1964 to establish formal quotas on foreign beef.
Modern Integration (2000s–Present): Large-volume imports continue to supplement about 11% of domestic U.S. production, spiking during supply shocks such as the 2003–2005 BSE (mad cow disease) restrictions and recent multi-decade lows in domestic cattle inventories.