President Donald Trump’s latest beef import order has enraged the trade group that oversees the American cattle industry.
The “Great American Beef plan” came down via Truth Social on Friday morning, with the president proclaiming that up to 300,000 metric tons of ground beef will be imported free of tariffs, and that “We have a commitment that this beef will be sold at 25 percent below current market prices.”
In response, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association chief Colin Woodall put out a statement condemning the move.
“NCBA is disappointed by the President’s statement,” wrote Woodall. “While America’s cattle producers share the goal of keeping groceries affordable for consumers, flooding the market with government-subsidized, below-market beef is not the way to rebuild the American cattle herd.”
He noted that August “is a critical time of year for cattle producers, as we approach the season where they are making decisions regarding their herds” and a move to flood the market with exports could crash prices artificially and force farmers and ranchers to scale back operations.
“Cattle farmers and ranchers are responding to strong market signals and historically high demand, and we are already working to rebuild after years of ongoing drought, high input costs and other challenges that have reduced U.S. cattle numbers,” wrote Woodall. “Today’s announcement and other market interventions throw cold water on the prospect of herd expansion and sacrifices long-term stability for short term messaging.”
Beef prices have risen dramatically in the last two years, significantly outpacing inflation.
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