President Donald Trump is facing pushback from cattle farmers after announcing plans to quadruple the tariff-rate quota on U.S. beef imports from Argentina.
The administration has floated a proposal to raise Argentina’s annual beef quota from 20,000 to 80,000 metric tons, according to Politico Pro. The move has alarmed American ranchers and industry groups who warn it could undercut domestic producers at a time when feed and operating costs remain high. (RELATED: Democrats Blocking Federal Paychecks During Shutdown Splinter When Asked If They’re Cashing Their Own)
“The only price we have that’s high is beef, and we’ll get that down,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday. “And one of the things we’re thinking about doing is beef from Argentina.”
When pressed on why he would advance a policy seemingly favoring Argentine producers over American ranchers, Trump said, “Argentina is fighting for its life, young lady, you don’t know anything about it. They’re fighting for their life. Nothing is benefiting Argentina.”
The response did little to calm the agriculture industry. Ranchers and trade groups have publicly opposed the idea, arguing that additional Argentine beef wouldn’t meaningfully lower grocery prices and would unsettle U.S. producers.
In a Monday statement, the National Cattleman’s Beef Association (NCBA) acknowledged higher beef prices but said demand reflects “the work American cattle producers have done to improve the quality and safety of U.S. beef.”
This plan only creates chaos at a critical time of the year for American cattle producers, while doing nothing to lower grocery store prices,” NCBA CEO Colin Woodall said, citing Argentina’s history of foot-and-mouth disease and lopsided trade flows that heavily favor Buenos Aires.
The group urged Trump and Congress to “let the market work” instead of pursuing policies it said would hurt rural America — a message echoed by several Republican lawmakers representing ranching states.
Republican Oklahoma Sen. Markwayne Mullin, himself a cattle rancher, told Trump that high beef prices stem not from the cost of cattle but from prices set by large, often foreign-owned meatpacking companies, NBC News reported.
“I think the president has definitely identified a problem we have,” Mullin said. “But the conversation is, you know, much bigger, and the president and I had a great conversation about it today.”
WASHINGTON, DC – OCTOBER 15: Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) speaks to reporters following a Republican policy luncheon at the U.S. Capitol Building on October 15, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
House Republicans also weighed in, sending a letter to Trump urging caution on expanded Argentine imports.
Eight lawmakers signed the letter, which praised U.S. cattle producers and insisted any imported beef meet “the same rigorous standards” applied to domestic products. The group called for “full transparency, sound science, and a firm commitment to the U.S. cattle industry” in future trade decisions.
“If given an opportunity, they will continue to respond quickly to the market demand for more quality American beef in our grocery stores,” the letter said.
Separately, Republican Sens. John Thune and Deb Fischer of South Dakota and Nebraska, respectively, raised the issue with Trump during a White House meeting Tuesday, according to NBC News.
WASHINGTON, DC – OCTOBER 21: U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) speaks to reporters alongside Senate Republican Leadership outside of the West Wing of the White House on October 21, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
Fischer also met with Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, who unveiled a plan she said would “strengthen the American beef industry.”
Rollins described food security as a national priority and said the department would move quickly to ease regulations, expand processing capacity, and get more locally sourced beef into schools. She added that the effort aims to create a stronger environment for ranchers to operate and attract new producers.
Backing Trump, House Speaker Mike Johnson said the administration’s broader goal is to “improve the lives of everyday Americans” and ensure the U.S. is “treated fairly by trading partners around the world,” according to NBC News.
Johnson acknowledged the complexity of global trade talks, saying Trump’s team is still “fine-tun[ing] all those details” as it renegotiates agreements with more than 100 nations.
On Wednesday, Trump defended his record with ranchers, pointing to his cattle tariffs as evidence they are “doing so well, for the first time in decades.”
“If it weren’t for me, they would be doing just as they’ve done for the past 20 years — terrible!” Trump continued. “It would be nice if they would understand that, but they also have to get their prices down, because the consumer is a very big factor in my thinking also!”
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