By Jeff Devine | Dale County Chronicle
National News–Republicans in Congress are publicly and privately pushing back on President Donald Trump’s proposal to import beef from Argentina, with some making direct pleas to the White House to reverse his decision
The rift between Congress and Trump came up on Tuesday when at least eight members of Congress sent a letter to the president urging him to clarify his plans for importing beef from Argentina.
Senate Republicans also visited the White House, said Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., and Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Neb. Fischer said she also met with Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins the same day to discuss her concerns.
President Trump defended his trade policies this week, saying that U.S. cattle ranchers owe much of their recent success to the tariffs his administration placed on imported beef.
“The cattle ranchers, who I love, don’t understand that the only reason they are doing so well, for the first time in decades, is because I put tariffs on cattle coming into the United States, including a 50% tariff on Brazil,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “If it weren’t for me, they would be doing just as they’ve done for the past 20 years — terrible!”
Trump also urged ranchers to help lower prices for consumers, emphasizing that affordability remains an important part of his economic agenda. However, with recent drought conditions, increasing inflation, and soaring prices, many cattle farmers see no other option but to increase their prices.
The Alabama Cattlemen’s Association (ALCA) released the following statement: “President Trump’s recent comments on lowering beef prices have triggered market volatility and uncertainty for America’s cattlemen—just as we were experiencing the strongest prices in history.”
“Now, news has broken that a deal has been struck to import Argentinian beef with the stated goal of ‘lowering prices’ and ‘helping Argentina.’ This will not work—and it should not come at the expense of America’s beef producers,” ALCA’s statement continued.
The ALCA said it is in constant communication with Senators Britt’s and Tuberville’s offices to express “strong opposition” to the move, pledging to continue fighting for Alabama’s cattle producers and rural communities.
“In Alabama, we wholeheartedly agree with the position the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association has taken in this matter,” said ALCA President Keith Glover of Hale County. “President Trump’s comments dishearten and discredit the hard work and investment of America’s beef farmers and ranchers who produce the safest and highest-quality beef product globally. We cannot and will not back the President as he undercuts the men and women who represent the nation’s largest industry.”
The president’s comments came as some Republican members of Congress voiced concerns over his proposal to allow more beef imports from Argentina — a move he said would help strengthen that nation’s economy.
Sen. Deb Fischer of Nebraska and other lawmakers warned that expanding Argentine beef imports could undercut American cattle producers who are just starting to recover after years of challenges.
“Nebraska’s ranchers cannot afford to have the rug pulled out from under them when they’re just getting ahead or simply breaking even,” Fischer said in a statement. “I strongly encourage the Trump administration to focus on trade deals that benefit our ag producers—not imports that will do more harm than good.”
Cattle and beef prices have climbed sharply following several years of drought that devastated grazing areas and drove up feed expenses, prompting many ranchers to cut back their herds. According to ranchers and economists, there are no quick fixes to increase cattle numbers in the short term.
In a plan released Wednesday, the Departments of Agriculture, Interior, Health and Human Services, and the Small Business Administration announced measures aimed at strengthening the U.S. cattle supply, including exploring ways to expand grazing opportunities on federal lands and boosting payments through certain livestock programs.
Meanwhile, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced that the federal government will provide more than $3 billion in assistance to U.S. farmers impacted by trade tensions with China, which has limited imports of major American products such as soybeans.
