News
Cattle groups urge President Trump to reverse beef import plan
Some ag groups are asking President Trump to reverse a proposed plan to import beef that he says would lower prices for consumers.
National Cattlemen’s Beef Association President Gene Copenhaver tells Brownfield the move isn’t going to lower prices for consumers. “What he’s going to import is trim, and it’s going to be with a byproduct of fat mixed with it. There’s no way that’s going to help the producer either. The only thing it’s done has lower cattle prices.”
U.S. Cattlemen’s Association President Justin Tupper says government interference creates unnecessary volatility and impacts producer decisions. “The board’s tumbled probably $30 cwt since the announcement. I also wonder, as a side note, who else knew all these announcements were coming ahead of time. The board had been down pretty strong prior to that. Yes, this absolutely sends the wrong market signal at a time when we’re trying to get guys to retain heifers.”
On Wednesday, NCBA, U.S. Cattlemen’s Association, the Livestock Marketing Association and the American Farm Bureau Federation sent a letter the President saying the plan undermines producers and discourages investments in building the nation’s cow herd. The letter also says consumers deserve safe beef that’s free from any market-distorting actions.
Copenhaver says there’s uncertainty over where the beef could be sourced. “As far as I know that’s not been announced. It’s probably one of three or four countries. It could be Australia, it could be Brazil or it could be Argentina.”
Tupper says that could impact consumer trust. “I hope not, but we believe as U.S. cattle producers that we produce the safest, best protein on the planet. We want to continue to do that. That’s another reason we don’t want this foreign beef to be dumped on top of ours.”
And, he says, “It would be very difficult in a 90-day period for any country that I know of that we trade with to have 300,000 metric ton of beef. That equates to, I believe, to 1.2 million head of cattle. That’s just if you’re talking about the hamburger.”
Both producers say they have been in contact with Congressional delegations about their organizations’ concerns and are committed to working with the Trump administration to find an equitable solution.
Gene Copenhaver:
Justin Tupper:
No meat should be imported & if it is – it should be inspected by the USDA to ansune the beef merely our guidelines! Can we import some Congress members to show up to work & get something passed !!!
That would be $$$ better spent!!