Trump, cattlemen disagree on beef imports

President Trump on Wednesday, just around noon, took to Truth Social to explain why he believes cattle prices are as high as they are, DTN/The Progressive Farmer reported.

“The Cattle Ranchers, who I love, don’t understand that the only reason they are doing so well, for the first time in decades, is because I put Tariffs on cattle coming into the United States,” Trump said on Truth Social on Wednesday. “If it weren’t for me, they would be doing just as they’ve done for the past 20 years – Terrible! 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!”

Trump shortly followed up, “In addition to everything else, Tariffs on other Countries SAVED our Cattle Ranchers!”

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, a group that has been the most supportive of Trump of all groups in agriculture, said it could not support him on this plan.

The U.S. Cattlemen’s Association noted that cattle prices dropped precipitously and said that a deal of the magnitude Trump has proposed would “undercut the very foundation of our cattle industry.”

Meanwhile, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said that USDA, the Interior Department and the Small Business Administration will all take action to try to help beef producers.

The American Farm Bureau Federation also urged caution about “disrupting the fragile U.S. beef supply.”

The Breakthrough Institute said healing the U.S. beef industry would be good for the global environment.

-The Hagstrom Report