KENNEWICK, WA – As the Trump administration considers importing beef from Argentina to reduce prices, local ranchers in Central Washington express concerns over the impact on their industry.
Beef prices have surged since before the pandemic, with steaks rising 71 percent and ground beef up 50 percent. In response, President Trump mentioned importing beef from Argentina as a potential solution to combat inflation.
“The only price we have that’s high is beef, and we’ll get that down. And one of the things we’re thinking about doing is beef from Argentina,” President Trump said.
However, Greg Hickman of GR Farm in Kennewick voiced concerns about the quality and health implications of foreign beef.
“This beef, you’re going to eat it. And what health effects will you and your family have from buying beef from other countries that you have no idea what it was raised on, the chemicals they’ve used on their fields, for their grasses. They know no control. So to me, it’s, it’s a bad deal,” Hickman said.
Hickman also highlighted the potential impact on local farmers facing high feed costs and shrinking margins.
“It can do nothing but drive down the prices of people’s cattle. And that’s the only farming endeavor that’s making any money right now,” he said.
Rep. Dan Newhouse of Washington expressed skepticism about the effectiveness of importing beef from Argentina in lowering prices.
“What I’ve learned is that Argentinian beef largely would be used for hamburger. It would not impact the prices of many other cuts of beef. So, you know, if the administration is looking to reduce prices in the grocery store, it would have a very limited impact,” Newhouse said.
Newhouse suggested that the administration should focus on expanding resources for producers to ensure market access and stability.
“If we can expand the amount of processing available to be producers that truly, what we need is access to markets and working toward those things that are or will allow producers to have good access. That’s the kind of thing that certainty that I mentioned whether you’re raising cattle or raising hops or raising corn, you want certainty in the market as much as possible,” Newhouse said.
While the administration hasn’t finalized the plan, the proposal has sparked a debate between lowering consumer prices and protecting American ranchers’ livelihoods.
