Ag groups urge against Trump plan to buy beef from Argentina

Iowa and national agriculture groups said Monday that a proposal from President Donald Trump to import beef from Argentina would harm cattle farmers. 

Trump suggested Sunday the U.S. could purchase beef from Argentina to help address the high cost of beef at grocery stores.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for ground chuck have risen sharply in 2025. August figures topped $6.63 per pound, which is up more than a dollar from prices in January. 

The bureau shows that beef prices have been on the rise over the past 10 years, likely due to declining herd sizes and drought. But more recent pressures from the new world screwworm and tariffs have likely added to the recent inflation in cost. 

Trump, in an official address Oct. 16, said that the administration had a deal in the works that would bring down the price of beef. He floated the idea of purchasing from Argentina while speaking to reporters Sunday aboard Air Force One.

Bryan Whaley, CEO of Iowa Cattlemen’s Association, said the industry group is working to communicate with leaders about their concerns with the Argentina plan, “specifically the impact on cattle market prices.” 

“President Trump’s recent remarks about potentially importing Argentinian beef are concerning for U.S. cattle producers, and the little detail that accompanied those comments has created volatility in the market,” Whaley said in an emailed statement. “What we know is that consumer demand for the high-quality beef raised by U.S. producers has remained strong, despite the increased costs caused by drought, border closures, and high input costs to producers.” 

Whaley said the group will continue to elevate the issue to “avoid intervention and let the market work.” 

Iowa Farm Bureau Federation President Brent Johnson said Monday that the cattle market, where producers have positive returns on their livestock, was one of the “few bright spots in Iowa’s ag economy” amid “widespread depressed ag markets.” 

“We encourage the administration to resist actions that negatively impact the cattle farmers in Iowa and domestic beef production,” Johnson said in a statement. 

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association said importing from Argentina would harm cattle producers and disrupt the free market. 

“This plan only creates chaos at a critical time of the year for American cattle producers, while doing nothing to lower grocery store prices,” the association’s CEO Colin Woodall Woodall said in a news release. 

Additionally, the national association said Argentina has a “deeply unbalanced” trade relationship with the U.S. given the country imports more beef from Argentina than it exports to the South American country.

“We call on President Trump and members of Congress to let the market work, rather than intervening in ways that do nothing but harm rural America,” the news release said. 

The floated idea from the president comes less than a month after the administration approved a $20 billion credit-line swap with Argentina and proposed an additional $20 billion in financing to help the country. Shortly after the first deal was announced, Argentina delivered a massive sale of soybeans to China, potentially harming U.S. trade with its largest soybean buyer.

National Farmers Union President Rob Larew said in a statement the union was also against importing beef from Argentina, noting the recent news between the U.S. and Argentina. 

“The last thing we need is to reward them by importing more of their beef,” Larew said. 

He said importing foreign beef would be a form of “undercutting American ranchers” and said  “restoring fairness” in the market should be the target to lower grocery store prices.

“In times of extreme uncertainty in the farm economy, we should be doubling down on our efforts to support family farmers and ranchers here at home,” Larew said. “The answer isn’t foreign beef; it’s rebuilding herds to meet domestic demand, restoring competition in meatpacking, enacting mandatory country-of-origin labeling so consumers know where their beef comes from, and creating a fair marketplace that works for both farmers and consumers.” 

Trump said Sunday, while speaking to reporters, that Argentina is “fighting for their life.” 

“They have no money, they have no anything,” Trump said. “They’re fighting so hard to survive. If I can help them survive in a free world – I happen to like the president of Argentina.”