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A top Republican lawmaker has broken with President Donald Trump over his plan to significantly increase beef imports from Argentina amid skyrocketing beef prices in the US.
Some shit you should know before you dig in: If you’re unaware, President Trump recently announced plans to increase beef imports from Argentina in response to skyrocketing beef prices across the United States. Acknowledging the financial strain on American consumers, Trump argues that by bringing in more affordable foreign beef, market pressure will ease and prices at the grocery store will come down. He argues that the move will help stabilize the US beef market by introducing lower-cost supply, ultimately benefiting consumers without significantly disrupting domestic production.
What’s going on now: In a notable development, Senate Majority Leader John Thune broke with President Trump over the proposed beef import expansion, warning that the move could destabilize the US cattle industry. Representing South Dakota, a state heavily reliant on beef production, Thune said Trump’s plan to flood the market with foreign beef “isn’t the way to do it” and has created unnecessary uncertainty for ranchers. He emphasized that while lowering prices for consumers is a valid goal, doing so at the expense of American producers could have long-term consequences.
Thune’s comments have been echoed by other farm-state Republicans, including Sen. Deb Fischer of Nebraska, who sits on the Senate Agriculture Committee and has expressed “deep concerns” about the plan. Fischer argued that Nebraska’s ranchers, many of whom are only now recovering from years of drought and thin profit margins, “cannot afford to have the rug pulled out from under them.”
The backlash isn’t limited to lawmakers. Farmers’ unions, ranching associations, and state agriculture groups across the Midwest have issued strong statements opposing the policy. Many argue that it sets a dangerous precedent by inviting foreign competitors into an already fragile domestic market. Mark McHargue, president of the Nebraska Farm Bureau, warned that artificially lowering cattle prices could “crash the market,” while others raised concerns about food safety standards and the lack of country-of-origin labeling for beef sold in the US.
This all comes as US cattle numbers have fallen to their lowest levels since the 1950s, creating a tight supply that has helped drive beef prices to historic highs. Years of prolonged droughts, soaring feed costs, and a New World screwworm outbreak have disrupted live cattle imports from Mexico, tightening supply.
