Beef Import Plan
From the Western Ag Network, I’m Bob Larson. Farmers and ranchers are bracing for the impact of President Trump’s plan to allow beef imports to increase by 660-million pounds over a 90-day period.
American Farm Bureau Federation Executive Vice President
Joby Young says the President’s plan may be well-intentioned, but is really nothing more than a gut punch to ranchers’ bottom line …
YOUNG … “The cattle sector has been one of the few bright spots for U.S. agriculture. Unfortunately, it just became dimmer because of the presidential proclamation to allow an additional 300 thousand metric tons of beef to be imported.”
And importing even MORE beef from abroad, Young says has, so far, not proven to be a worthwhile solution to the rancher’s problems …
YOUNG … “The U.S. is already importing beef at record levels, and this decision will be a nearly 60 percent increase in imports over the next 90 days.”
Unfortunately, Young says it seems like the industries’ own efforts bring the livestock numbers back up are being ignored …
YOUNG … “America’s ranchers are working to rebuild herds and undercutting a fragile recovery by swamping markets with foreign products and attempting to manipulate prices threatens to wipe out any progress that has been made. It’s not too late to reverse this decision, and we urge the president to consider the economic harm this causes America’s ranchers. ”
Again, that is Joby Young, executive vice president of the American Farm Bureau Federation.
