R-CALF USA and 12 state and local cattle associations representing thousands of cattle producers across nine states sent a joint letter to President Donald J. Trump Monday urging him to reconsider a reported proposal to allow an additional 300,000 metric tons of imported beef to enter the United States without over-quota tariffs for 90 days.
The letter argues that rebuilding the U.S. cattle herd requires restoring producer confidence that investments made today to expand production will retain their value in the years ahead. The groups warned that additional imports, combined with concentration and market power in the packing and retail sectors, will further discourage producers from making the long-term investments necessary to expand the herd.
Rather than increasing imports, the cattle associations urged the administration to restore mandatory country-of-origin labeling for beef, restore competition and price discovery in cattle markets by addressing unpriced forward contracts, and implement phased-in tariff rate quotas to ensure future investments in U.S. cattle production are not undercut by excessive imports.
Groups joining R-CALF USA on the letter include the Buckeye Quality Beef Association (Ohio), Calaveras County Cattleman’s Association (California), Cattle Producers of Washington (Washington), Colorado Independent CattleGrowers Association (Colorado), Independent Beef Association of North Dakota (North Dakota), Independent Cattlemen of Missouri (Missouri), Independent Cattlemen of Wyoming (Wyoming), Oklahoma Independent Stockgrowers Association (Oklahoma), South Dakota Stockgrowers Association (South Dakota), Southern Colorado Livestock Association (Colorado), Southwestern Colorado Livestock Association (Colorado) and Stevens County Cattlemen’s Association (Washington).
