President Donald Trump’s plan to bring more foreign beef into the United States begins Sept. 1, as the first shipments of up to 300,000 metric tons of tariff-free beef are expected to enter the country over the next 90 days, Forbes reported.
Where’s The Beef?
According to Trump, the move is expected to increase the beef supply and bring down record-high prices for consumers. But the policy has caused backlash about whether shoppers will actually see significant savings at the grocery store and is the beef will be safe. Also, American cattle ranchers are not too happy.
Ranchers have warned that foreign competition could further squeeze already-thin profit margins. Farmers are also dealing with higher diesel and fertilizer costs tied to the war in Iran and uncertainty from Trump’s tariff policies, ABC News reported.
And, some longtime Trump voters say the decision to import 300,000 metric tons of beef conflicts with the administration’s “America First” message.
Currently, a pound of ground beef at U.S. grocery stores costs an average of about $6.86 to $6.89, according to federal data. Beef prices have risen substantially in recent years. Ground beef and other beef and veal products were about 27% more expensive in July than three years earlier, according to Consumer Price Index data cited by CNN. Prices also increased about 9% over the previous year.
Beef prices are at record highs primarily because the U.S. cattle herd has shrunk to its lowest level since 1951 due to years of severe drought, high feed costs, and disease pressure.
Although the Trump administration says the imported beef will be sold at a discount, agricultural economists say the policy is unlikely to produce a major decline in retail prices, CNN reported.
The imports represent only about 2% of U.S. domestic beef consumption, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture data.
The policy focuses on lean beef trimmings, which are commonly used to make ground beef, and not steaks and roasts.
For consumers who want to buy beef produced entirely in the United States, the label is important. Products labeled “Product of USA” or “Made in the USA” indicate that the beef came from animals born, raised, slaughtered and processed in the United States. Shoppers may also see labels such as “Born, Raised, and Harvested in the USA.”
Words such as “packed in the USA” or “processed in the USA” do not necessarily mean the animal was born or raised domestically. Imported beef can be processed, cut or repackaged at a U.S. facility, Forbes reported.
But is the foreign beef safe to eat? Concerns about imported beef have spiked, especially after a recent USDA Class I recall involving nearly 30,000 pounds of raw, boneless beef imported from Argentina. The recalled beef was distributed to retailers and food service operators in Texas and Florida because the shipment bypassed mandatory import reinspection requirements.
No illnesses have been reported or linked to the recalled shipment.
Consumer seem to be skeptical about the foreign beef, especially after news of China rejecting beef from Argentina went viral on social media. In March, Chinese customs stopped a 22-ton container of beef from the ArreBeef processing plant in Argentina. According to NewsNation, the beef was rejected after tests found a banned antibiotic.
Then there was a rumor that the foreign beef could be horse meat, KOAT7 reported. The rumor started after it was learned that the Trump administration had rounded up 3,700 wild horse and sold them for as little as $25 a head, The New York Times reported.
Bottom line, food safety advocates and ranchers say consumers should check where the meat comes from and ensure it has undergone proper inspection before buying it — whether it is homegrown or foreign.