Governor Stitt Urges Federal Action to Expand Markets for Oklahoma Beef

OKLAHOMA CITY (September 4, 2026) - Governor Kevin Stitt today sent letters to President Donald J. Trump, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins, and congressional agriculture leaders urging action to expand interstate market access for qualified Oklahoma meat processors.

Under current law, Oklahoma state-inspected processors may sell wholesome, inspected beef within the state but generally cannot sell the same products across state lines. Federally inspected processors may enter interstate commerce, creating a barrier for smaller and state-inspected facilities seeking to reach new markets.

“Expanding the number of Oklahoma processors capable of entering interstate commerce would create new markets for Oklahoma cattle, increase domestic processing capacity, strengthen competition in the packing industry, and put more American beef into the national marketplace,” said Governor Stitt.

Stitt asked USDA and the Food Safety and Inspection Service to work with the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry to establish an expedited pathway for qualified processors to obtain interstate market access, including through the Talmadge-Aiken Cooperative Inspection Program and the Cooperative Interstate Shipment Program.

The Governor also urged congressional agriculture leaders to consider reforms through the 2027 Farm Bill.

"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.”

Letter from Governor Kevin Stitt to President Donald J. Trump and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins

Letter from Governor Kevin Stitt to Senate and House Agriculture Committee Leadership