Argentine beef imports trigger rift between Trump and U.S. cattle ranchers

U.S. President Donald Trump has lashed out at American cattle ranchers over criticism of his plan to try to bring down record beef prices by increasing imports from Argentina.

Trump’s remarks deepen a rift with a group of traditionally reliable supporters of his administration and are raising concerns among Republican lawmakers from cattle-producing states.

On Wednesday (22), Trump said ranchers should be grateful for his tariffs, claiming they helped boost their profits — while at the same time urging them to bring down retail prices.

“If it wasn’t for me, they would be doing exactly what they did for the last 20 years — terrible! It would be nice if they understood that,” the president posted on social media.

“They also need to lower their prices, because the consumer is also a very important factor, in my opinion!”

The comments came one day after Senate Majority Leader John Thune and other Republicans said they raised the issue during a White House lunch.

Several lawmakers also said they spoke with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.

Thune, a Republican from South Dakota, said he discussed Argentine beef imports “extensively” with the White House.

Senator John Hoeven, a Republican from North Dakota, said he emphasized to Trump and other cabinet officials that ranchers want to be the ones to expand supply in the U.S. to bring prices down.

Hoeven added that the administration is reviewing several solutions to address their concerns.

The controversy highlights the dilemma Trump faces after raising import tariffs to the highest level in a century.

While the tariffs have helped shield certain American industries, they have also driven up consumer prices, running counter to his campaign promise to fight inflation.

Trump’s plan to increase beef imports from Argentina has been met with disdain by ranchers, who argue it could crush the domestic sector, even as experts say the move would have little effect on retail prices.

Argentine beef accounts for only about 2% of U.S. beef imports, so the supply increase would likely have only a marginal impact on consumer prices.

Below is a history of Argentina’s beef exports to the United States from January 2022 onward. The chart was prepared using DataLiner data:

Argentine Beef Exports to the United States | Jan 2022 – Aug 2025 | TEU

Source: DataLiner (Clique aqui para solicitar uma demo)

“Market participants know that increased imports from Argentina will reduce demand for domestic cattle, and that’s why the markets reacted negatively to the president’s plan,” said Bill Bullard, executive director of the Ranchers-Cattlemen Action Legal Fund and the United Stockgrowers of America, in a statement Monday (20).

“President Trump should direct his antitrust agencies to determine to what extent alleged illegal price-fixing has contributed to today’s beef price spike.”

U.S. beef prices have soared to record highs, undercutting Trump’s promise to make groceries more affordable.

Imports have not been able to offset the severe domestic cattle shortage.

Tariffs totaling 50% on imports from Brazil, the world’s largest beef exporter, are further limiting supply.

At the same time, many farmers struggling with lower soybean and corn prices due to Trump’s trade war with China say beef revenue is crucial to keeping their operations afloat.

Rollins said Tuesday (21) that the administration will soon announce a “major package” aimed at boosting U.S. beef production as consumers face price spikes.

“What we’re going to do is encourage the opening of new land, make it easier to be a farmer, build more processing plants across the country so there isn’t just a handful in the middle of the country,” Rollins said in an interview with CNBC.

She added that over the years, the United States has shipped a large share of its beef production to countries like Brazil, and that now is the time to reverse that trend, saying: “We’ll be able to start shifting beef production back to the United States.”

Senator Steve Daines, a Republican from Montana, said Rollins has been “very receptive and shares the concern that many of us have here” about flooding the market with Argentine beef.

Source: Bloomberg Línea

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