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Ag groups push back against federal beef import plan

Numerous agricultural groups criticized a federal government move to substantially increase imports of beef, saying increased imports would add to U.S. cattlemen’s struggles.

On Aug. 26, President Donald Trump issued a proclamation temporarily easing tariffs on imported beef from Argentina, a move that would allow an additional 300,000 metric tons (661,386,787 million pounds) of beef to be brought into the U.S. from Argentina, which the president said was being done to make the U.S. food supply more affordable for consumers.

Agricultural groups, including Georgia Farm Bureau, the American Farm Bureau Federation, the Georgia Cattlemen’s Association and the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association pushed back, voicing concerns that increasing the import of foreign beef would further depress prices cattlemen receive.

“Georgia cattle producers are rightfully frustrated and deeply disappointed by the decision to flood the U.S. market with underpriced foreign beef,” GFB President Tom McCall said. “American cattle producers deserve a fair market, not one that picks and chooses who gets to play duty free.”

McCall noted that the move “casts a shadow of uncertainty for our long-term domestic market that could exacerbate the true underlying issues driving up consumer prices. After years of high input costs, sky-high land values, and lack of competitive regulatory parity, producers were finally seeing a path toward stability. That progress is now being undercut.”

McCall said an influx of lower-quality imports does not address the issues driving high grocery prices and weakens U.S. food security by increasing dependence on foreign supply.

“Georgia Farm Bureau stands with our cattlemen and women. We urge the [Trump] administration to reverse this decision, support U.S. producers, and focus on real solutions that lower input costs and strengthen the domestic herd,” McCall said.

Trump’s Aug. 26 proclamation came two days after the U.S. border with Mexico was partially re-opened to imports of live cattle from Mexico, which had been banned over concerns related to the New World Screwworm.

After the agriculture sector response to the beef import proclamation, the president said he was taking steps to address the U.S. beef supply chain, according to published reports. A Fox Business report noted that he was moving forward with legal steps to allow farmers and ranchers “the right to process their own food,” rather than being forced to ship their cattle to processing plants operated by the four conglomerates – Cargill, Tyson, JBS USA and National Beef Packing Company – that control approximately 85% of U.S. meat processing.

On Aug. 31, the USDA announced initiatives aimed at rebuilding the U.S. beef herd, which has dwindled to its smallest point in 75 years. The package includes tools to support heifer retention, programs to help recovery after wildfires and other natural disasters, a loan program to support regional processing, prioritizing American beef in federal spending, and loan and other programs aimed at supporting beginning and veteran farmers.

For more information about this suite of herd re-establishment programs, click here.

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