Great news for vegans: The price of beef has skyrocketed, and President Donald Trump has driven America’s cattle farmers crazy with a policy that looks decidedly America’s last.
As U.S. consumers grapple with record-high ground beef prices — $6.63 a pound in August, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — and steakhouses raise prices, Trump has offered to help his far-right Trump-like friend, Argentine President Javier Milla, quadruple the amount of Argentine beef coming to America.
That’s likely to do little for consumers and for cattle producers already struggling with shrinking home herd sizes caused by everything from drought to increased feed costs.
Trump’s Argentina Beef Plan Will Hurt America’s Farmers. It won’t help you either.
in 2025 October 20 The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association is responding to President Donald Trump’s comments that beef imports from Argentina would be the solution to lower beef prices. “This plan only creates chaos at a critical time of year for America’s cattle producers, while not reducing grocery store prices,” said NCBA CEO Colin Woodall. “Argentina also has a history of foot-and-mouth disease, which when brought into the United States can reduce our domestic livestock production.”
Colin Woodall, CEO of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, was unequivocal about Trump’s pro-Argentina plan: “This plan only creates chaos at a critical time of year for American cattle producers, while not reducing grocery store prices. … Argentina also has a history of foot-and-mouth disease that, when brought to the United States, could decimate our domestic livestock.”
I usually put anything related to FMD in the “bad” category.
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Kyle Hemmet, a 61-year-old cattle rancher in western Kansas, put it succinctly when he told The New York Times recently: “It’s really just a kick in the head. Come on, President Trump, is this an America First policy?” No.
Cattle farmers, like soybean farmers, see Trump for what he is
He is right. Trump has already angered US soybean farmers by bailing out Argentina to the tune of $20 billion.
“The disappointment is overwhelming,” Caleb Ragland, president of the American Soybean Association, said in a statement. “US soybean prices are falling, crops are being harvested, and farmers are reading headlines not about securing a trade deal with China, but about the US government giving Argentina $20 billion.
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Great, now that’s bad news for vegans AND carnivores.
There are ways to help farmers. Saving Argentina is not one of them.
Independent cattle producers have been stifled in part because just four meat processing and packing companies process more than 80% of the nation’s beef.
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Apart from these monopolies, farmers face many other problems. As Bloomberg recently reported:
“In particular, cattlemen want a return to mandatory country-of-origin labeling to promote high-quality American beef. They want more regional processors, to help rebuild herds after years of drought (the national cattle herd is at a 75-year low) and easier cross-state sales.”
Trump insults cattle farmers with social media slur
But Trump, as always, thinks he has all the answers. As furor from cattle ranchers grew, the president responded dismissively on social media:
“What my beloved cattle farmers don’t understand is that the only reason they are doing so well for the first time in decades is because I put tariffs on US cattle, including a 50% tariff on Brazil. If it wasn’t for me, they would be doing the same as they have been for the last 20 years – but it would also be great if prices came down! The consumer is a big factor I think too!”
Talk about a kick.
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“An Absolute Betrayal of America’s Cattle Farmer”
Just because Trump eats a lot of hamburgers, he thinks he knows better than the hardworking farmers who feed Americans. As in May noted the US Department of Agriculture on its website: “Cattle is the most important U.S. agricultural industry, consistently accounting for the largest share of all agricultural cash receipts. In 2024, U.S. cattle production accounted for about 22 percent of the total $515 billion.
Wyoming’s Meriwether Farms wrote about the X situation in a post that quickly went viral, calling Trump’s plan to buy beef from Argentina “an absolute betrayal of the American cattle farmer.”
The post read in part: “On top of all of this, there is nothing but chaos coming out of the Department of Agriculture. No real guidance, mixed messages and lots of photo ops.”
Unfortunately, America’s farmers—a huge pro-Trump voting bloc—are learning what people like me have been screaming for years: Donald Trump doesn’t care about anyone but himself, and he’ll sell people out in an instant.
Farmers and ranchers, like so many others, have been duped by Trump
President Donald Trump welcomes Argentine President Javier Milei to the White House in Washington, DC. in 2025 on the 14th
Trump sees himself as president of Argentina. He wants to strengthen other far-right leaders because it helps him and his authoritarian dreams. He doesn’t care how much Americans pay for beef or how his actions might affect the farmers who have loyally supported him. He cares about Trump.
If he wants to buy foreign beef that will hurt US cattle farmers and do nothing for US consumers, he will. Your complaints, anger, expressions of betrayal mean nothing.
Farming is brutally hard work, and I respect and appreciate people who make it a living. I want them to thrive, just as I want affordable meat for myself and other buyers.
But I hope the farmers and consumers who stood behind Trump all these years and are now suffering will see that they were sold a lie by scammers. Argentina’s unfair, damaging policies are just another part of the pending bill.
Follow USA TODAY columnist Rex Huppke on Bluesky at @rexhuppke.bsky.social and on Facebook at facebook.com/RexIsAJerk
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump has beef with US cattle farmers. And it costs you | Opinion