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‘I can’t keep heifers back’: Minnesota cow-calf producer shares impact of beef imports with lawmakers

A Minnesota cow-calf producer is voicing her concerns about beef imports to members of Congress.

Ellie Trout and her family farm in Itasca County and she joined members of Minnesota Farm Bureau during a recent legislative fly-in to Washington D.C.

“My big push was to talk about beef imports. As a beef cow-calf producer, in the fall I should be making my decisions about what heifers I keep back and what I sell. And as we’re at a national low for the cattle herd in America right now, I can’t keep heifers back now with beef imports coming in and lowering our prices.”

She tells Brownfield there was a lot of support from lawmakers.

“Every conversation I had, they agreed. They understood the importance of taking care of American farmers, especially when we’re in an administration that is focused on America first and the American farmer, and now we’re doing things that are negatively impacting the American farmer.”

American Farm Bureau released a report showing the administration’s plan to allow 300,000 metric tons of tariff-free beef imports would cost U.S. producers around $400 per head.