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‘Really concerning’: Iowa Farm Bureau president says Trump actions trigger market swings

The president of Iowa Farm Bureau is pointing blame at the Trump administration for the recent collapse in cattle markets.

Brent Johnson says President Trump’s proposal to import beef from Argentina and remarks on Truth Social prodding cattle producers to “get their prices down” while taking credit for improving the U.S. cattle market have had a ripple effect.

“Cattle guys are finally seeing some black ink on their balance sheets, so to run into this situation now has been really concerning for those groups that raise cattle for a living.”

He tells Brownfield while increasing beef imports from Argentina won’t move the needle on lowering domestic beef prices, the prospect has disrupted the market.

“We’ve seen huge swings over the last week (to) ten days when it comes to the futures and some of those things. And so, when it comes to the business structure of the cattle market, it’s really made that very unstable.”

Johnson says he’s urging the administration to resist actions that negatively impact U.S. cattlemen and women.