WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump's administration is quadrupling the tariff rate quota on Argentinian beef to 80,000 metric tons to reduce prices and protect American farmers, a White House official said on Thursday.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture on Wednesday announced a new initiative to expand domestic cattle herd sizes and support American cattle ranchers after Trump on Friday said he was working to lower the price of beef in the country.

Separately, White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly said Trump had pledged to protect ranchers and deliver economic relief for everyday Americans.

The administration was accomplishing both by expanding beef imports from Argentina to lower consumer prices in the short term and rolling out new supports for ranchers, she said.