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Republican lawmakers push Trump for long-term cattle market stability

A group of Republican lawmakers has asked President Trump to implement policies that expand market access and create certainty for cattle producers.

But, Congressman Adrian Smith tells Brownfield, the recent announcement to import foreign beef in an attempt to lower consumer prices was the wrong move. “We need to let the market work. That market has done good things for producers and consumers previously. Let’s make sure that we don’t intervene that causes damage.”

On Wednesday, Smith and Kansas Senator Jerry Moran sent a letter to the President asking for proposals that deliver-log-term market stability and confidence. Fifty colleagues in both chambers also signed the letter.

Smith, chair of the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Trade, says additional trade agreements could help provide long-term certainty. “U.S. producers of beef are known to produce fine-quality, safe product, and we don’t want to jeopardize that, and certainly stand in the way with interventions in the market that make it harder to grow the herd.”

He says any policy changes should not sacrifice health and safety guidelines. “If there would be an undermining effort of product safety, that would be horrible for the entire industry. We need to be very careful there.”

Smith says he’d like to see new technology and additional inspectors to uphold safety standards.

Adrian Smith: