Ranchers dispute price claims after Trump expands Argentine beef imports in executive order
President Donald Trump on Friday signed an executive order temporarily expanding the amount of beef the U.S. can import from Argentina, a move the White House says is aimed at lowering prices but that the nation’s largest cattle industry group disputes.
The proclamation increases the in-quota tariff-rate quota for lean beef trimmings by 80,000 metric tons for calendar year 2026. The additional imports will be allocated entirely to Argentina and released in four quarterly tranches beginning Feb. 13.
The White House said the action is intended to boost supply and make ground beef more affordable for American consumers in a fact sheet on the order.
According to the proclamation, the Trump administration is acting in response to historically high beef prices and a prolonged decrease in the U.S. cattle herd.
US, ARGENTINA STRIKE SWEEPING TRADE DEAL CUTTING TARIFFS, OPENING MARKETS TO US EXPORTS
"Since January 2021, ground beef prices have continued to rise, reaching an average of $6.69 per pound in December 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics — the highest since the Department of Labor started tracking beef prices in the 1980s," the proclamation states.
The announcement drew pushback from the nation’s largest cattle industry group, which questioned whether increased imports would deliver the price relief the administration is promising.
"While we fundamentally disagree with the premise that increased imports can lower beef prices, NCBA is encouraged to see the Trump administration take necessary steps to address longstanding market-access challenges for U.S. beef in Argentina," said Kent Bacus, executive director of international trade and market access at the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA).
Bacus warned that Argentina’s history with foreign animal diseases raises concerns about expanding imports without stronger safeguards.
"Given Argentina’s issues with foreign animal diseases, NCBA remains concerned that expanding imports from Argentina without increased inspection protocols and up-to-date audits could place American consumers and our cattle herd at unnecessary risk," Bacus said.
The order applies only to lean beef trimmings, which are primarily used in the production of ground beef. Imported lean trimmings are commonly blended with fattier domestic trimmings to produce ground beef products like hamburgers.
Under the proclamation, the additional 80,000 metric tons will be administered on a first-come, first-served basis in four equal tranches of 20,000 metric tons. The first tranche will open Feb. 13 and close March 31, followed by quarterly openings through the end of 2026.
BEEF PRICES SOAR AS AMERICAN FAMILIES PAY STEEP PRICES FOR STEAKS AND BURGERS NATIONWIDE
The White House framed the action as temporary and tied to current supply conditions rather than a permanent shift in American trade policy.
The proclamation outlines several factors contributing to the tight beef supply, including persistent drought conditions in major cattle-producing states such as Texas and Kansas and wildfires that have damaged grazing land and feed supplies across the western U.S.
The Trump administration said the decision to allocate the entire increase to Argentina aligns with an existing U.S.–Argentina trade framework agreement reached in November 2025. A White House official told FOX Business earlier this week that the executive order implements commitments already considered under that framework.
The White House referred FOX Business to a fact sheet upon request for further comment.
FOX Business' Edward Lawrence contributed to this reporting.