Illinois Cattle Ranchers Rip Trump’s "Argentina First" Policy

Illinois beef producers are expressing frustration over President Donald Trump’s plan to expand beef imports from Argentina — a move he says will lower grocery prices, but that many warn could hurt U.S. farmers already struggling with tight margins, Katrina Barker reported for The Center Square.

The trade proposal risks undercutting U.S. producers while rewarding competitors.(Photo: Illinois Beef Association)

Illinois Beef Association Director Josh St. Peters said producers have already felt market volatility since Trump’s announcement.

“The markets have at least been able to help producers break even and try to make a little money to pay their bills,” St. Peters said.

“In the five trading days since the president pushed for increasing imports of beef from Argentina, we’ve seen a steady decline in the futures markets for live cattle and feeder cattle. That’s directly impacting the amount of money that farmers make.”

St. Peters warned that the trade proposal risks undercutting U.S. producers while rewarding competitors.

He said Trump’s recent push to import beef from Argentina — intended to lower grocery costs — is instead hurting farmers: cattle prices have dropped up to 12% while grocery prices have risen.

“What we call the boxed beef indicator — that’s the beef trade metric between grocery stores and retailers — has actually increased over the last week and a half,” St. Peters said.

“President Trump campaigned pretty blatantly on an America First agenda,” he added.

“But beef producers and farmers in general at this point are feeling very disenfranchised because this is a South America First agenda that he’s proposed.”