AUSTIN, Texas (RFD NEWS) — President Donald Trump’s beef deal with Argentina could boost imports by 80,000 tons this year, raising concerns among some U.S. ranchers. Implementation of the deal goes into effect today. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins is backing the President’s move, saying the push back is misguided because the imports are aimed at lowering ground beef prices, which she says is not the primary product provided by U.S. ranchers.
However, some of the nation’s top state agriculture leaders — from North Dakota to Texas — disagree.
The North Dakota Farmers Union (NDFU) President Matt Perdue says cattle producers in the state are disappointed with the agreement, and argues the move will not meaningfully lower prices for consumers and could instead hurt domestic producers.
“We think that this is a misguided approach,” Perdue said. “Economists, and frankly, history has shown us that increasing these imports of Argentine beef or beef from any other country is not going to have a meaningful impact on consumer beef prices. What, in fact, it’s more likely to do is to lower the price that ranchers, that producers, are receiving for cattle. So we think this is the wrong approach. We appreciate the administration’s focus on how we can work together to achieve affordable food prices for consumers, but I think that conversation really needs to be focused on supporting the U.S. rancher, not our foreign competitors.”
Perdue adds that the move could create challenges for future producers and says the focus should be on ensuring long-term opportunities for the next generation.
“You know, I think that we are really focused on making sure that the next generation — that those young producers who are growing into the operation have long-term opportunities to succeed,” he said. “That means leveling the playing field, having a fair market for those producers to sell into. We are an organization that feels very strongly about country-of-origin labeling. U.S. producers produce some of the highest-quality beef in the world. They ought to be able to take credit for that, and consumers ought to know where that beef is coming from. And then I think the last point is finding ways to support those young producers who are trying to grow their operations right now. And what we hear a lot from cattle producers is an interest in having better access to credit and access to land, access to risk management tools, that’s where this conversation should be focused.”
Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller is calling for an “America First” policy approach as the U.S. cattle herd remains at historic lows. His comments come after a recent White House executive order aimed at increasing beef imports from Argentina.
Commissioner Miller joined us on Friday’s Market Day Report to discuss why, while he supports reopening American markets globally, he believes a long-term domestic solution is needed to address the current challenges facing U.S. cattle producers.
In his interview with RFD NEWS, Miller outlined what he is calling for to strengthen the U.S. cattle industry and ensure American ranchers remain competitive. He also shared his concerns about the recent agreement to expand Argentine beef imports and how they could affect domestic producers. Miller went on to discuss the first steps he believes are necessary to rebuild America’s cattle herds and domestic processing capacity, as well as the types of support needed to accomplish those goals. He also emphasized that the next Farm Bill must stand firm with American ranchers and described what he would like to see included in that legislation.
Before wrapping up, Miller provided an update on efforts to prevent the New World Screwworm from entering the United States, following Secretary Rollins’ visit to Texas for the completion of the sterile fly dispersal facility in Edinburg.
