Trump administration to allow more beef imports, angering US ranchers

The Trump administration is set to increase imports of lean beef by 300,000 tons, a move aimed at curbing rising consumer prices for the staple food. The White House stated the executive order was signed to address "inappropriately" increased prices, a decision that has ignited fierce opposition from American cattle ranchers.

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The measure will undermine America's cattle producers.

The American Farm Bureau Federation, a powerful agricultural lobby, argued in a letter to President Trump that the measure would "undermine America's cattle producers." This decision comes at a time when the US cattle herd has shrunk to its lowest level in 75 years, exacerbated by severe droughts and wildfires.

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We all want lower food prices, but as I've been saying for months, we cannot achieve that at the expense of American producers.

This policy shift faces significant backlash, even from within Trump's own Republican party. Senator Deb Fischer of Nebraska, a key state for cattle ranching, expressed her disapproval, stating, "We all want lower food prices, but as I've been saying for months, we cannot achieve that at the expense of American producers." She warned that flooding the market with foreign beef would damage the US cattle industry.

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The flooding of the market with foreign beef will harm the US cattle industry.

Senator Tim Sheehy also criticized the plan, echoing concerns that it would harm ranchers. The move is widely seen as a political calculation by the administration, seeking to appeal to voters just months before the midterm elections, where Republicans currently hold a slim majority in both the House and Senate. The rising cost of living, particularly for food, has been a persistent concern for American consumers.

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This would harm cattle ranchers.