Nebraska cattle producers sound alarm over Trump pitch to import beef from Argentina

With beef prices at an all-time high, President Donald Trump on Sunday suggested importing beef from Argentina to increase supply and lower prices.

Cattle producers and agriculture groups across the country and in Nebraska said the proposal would harm U.S. cattle producers, while doing little to bring down prices for consumers.

“Let’s not do anything that would artificially reduce the price of cattle for our cattle producers,” Mark McHargue, president of the Nebraska Farm Bureau, said on Tuesday. “It’s the only segment right now in agriculture that’s making money in Nebraska."

Today’s high beef prices are caused by a variety of factors, McHargue said. The U.S. cattle herd is the smallest it has been since 1951. Drought across much of the Midwest and Great Plains in recent years caused grazing acres to dry up and increased feed costs. Imports of live cattle from Mexico have been intermittently suspended for months over concerns about the New World Screwworm. And despite the dwindling supply, demand for beef remains steady and high.

Trump first publicly mentioned a potential “beef deal” with Argentina on Sunday while speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One.

“We would buy some beef from Argentina,” Trump said when asked for details. “If we do that, it would bring our beef prices down.”

“If we buy some beef – I’m not talking about that much – from Argentina, it would help Argentina, which we consider a very good country, a very good ally,” he said.

McHargue said he isn’t sure that Argentina even has enough beef to materially impact consumer prices in the U.S.

Cattlemen’s groups, farmers’ unions and a handful of lawmakers have condemned the idea. In a statement, Nebraska Cattlemen said importing beef from Argentina would create unnecessary price volatility. The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association said the same, and implored Trump in a Facebook post to “keep America first” instead of helping Argentina.

McHargue said he’s been in contact with all members of Nebraska’s congressional delegation, who he said share his concerns. U.S. Rep. Don Bacon said in an X post that the proposal is not popular in Nebraska. U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer, who is herself a cattle rancher, said on social media that she has “deep concerns” about government intervention in the beef market.

“If the goal is addressing beef prices at the grocery store, this isn’t the way,” Fischer said. “The U.S. has safe, reliable beef, and it is the one bright spot in our struggling ag economy. Nebraska’s ranchers cannot afford to have the rug pulled out from under them when they’re just getting ahead or simply breaking even.”

The suggestion comes as Trump finalizes a $20 billion currency swap with Argentina – a move that angered some U.S. farmers and rural lawmakers since Argentina has sold large quantities of soybeans to China as U.S. soybean farmers struggle to find markets for their product.

McHargue said he anticipates an announcement on Wednesday from the Trump administration about the beef deal and other agricultural policies toward Argentina, as well as potential incentives for U.S. producers to increase the size of their cattle herds.

Asked about concerns from U.S. producers about the potential deal, a U.S. Department of Agriculture spokesperson provided the following statement:

"While prices for other proteins such as eggs, pork and chicken have declined in recent months, beef prices remain elevated. This is due to the perfect storm of sustained increase in consumer demand for beef coupled with a prolonged decrease in the supply of live cattle. Building back the herd will take time but Secretary Rollins is committed to reduce risk for cattle producers, deliver robust disaster relief to cattle country, and support new and beginning ranchers across the country. These actions coupled with President Trump’s work to secure lasting markets for beef producers abroad sends a strong message to American cattle producers - raise more beef and rebuild the herd."