BILLINGS, Montana (RFD-TV) — Tuesday morning, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins discussed the beef industry in an interview with CNBC. Rollins said a “pretty big package” is coming soon, as the White House looks to lower U.S. consumer beef prices.
In comments this morning, Sec. Rollins said part of the plan is to make it easier for ranchers to get their start. She told CNBC that she hopes to have more details out soon, possibly this week. She says it will be a big package to address the cattle herd and rising beef prices.
Sec. Rollins says the ultimate goal is to bring beef production back to the U.S. When asked about talks of importing beef from Argentina, Rollins says that will be addressed in the president’s upcoming plan.
Argentina has recently come under fire for its sales of discounted soybeans to China, while receiving billions of dollars in support from the United States Treasury. Sec. Brooke Rollins said this morning the administration understands what farmers are up against right now.
The U.S. Cattlemen’s Association (USCA) is urging policymakers to consider the realities facing ranchers before pursuing federal action on beef prices.
The group’s response follows recent White House comments promising steps to lower retail beef costs by increasing imports from Argentina — a move producers warn could distort markets already strained by record input costs and the smallest national cow herd in 75 years.
USCA President Justin Tupper said current beef prices reflect the rising costs of feed, fuel, labor, and land that producers have absorbed for years. “Ranchers are facing historic highs for inputs — and those costs have risen far faster than beef prices on grocery shelves,” he said, noting that many family operations are closing as younger generations exit the industry.
The group emphasized that, adjusted for wages, beef remains one of the most affordable proteins. Consumers today can buy a pound of ground beef for roughly 12 minutes of work — nearly the same as in the 1980s — while per-capita consumption recently hit a 40-year high.
Tupper warned that government intervention or policy speculation can trigger volatility in live and feeder cattle markets. “Sudden comments from policymakers can shake the market’s foundation and directly impact independent producers,” he said. The association called instead for transparent, market-driven pricing and cautioned against short-term political fixes that could undermine rural stability.
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