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cattle herder inside texas Expressing their disappointment with the President donald trump On his stewardship of the economy and his price-reducing measures. beef By welcoming South American exports.
Earlier this year, the President introduced comprehensive reciprocity Tariff on America’s trading partners, causing the price of meat and many other goods to rise dramatically.
The price of ground beef in U.S. supermarkets topped $6.31 per pound in August, a 13 percent increase year-over-year. according to The Financial TimesWhile the price of sirloin steak rose 24 percent to $14.31 a pound from $11.54 a year ago.
However, amid growing consumer concern potency and this cost of livingTrump had to change course and encourage increased competition from abroad, in the process risking alienating America’s farmers, many of whom had voted for him in the past and whose support he will again depend on, at least not until next November’s midterms.
The president said, “The cattlemen, whom I love, don’t understand that the only reason they are doing so well for the first time in decades is because I have imposed tariffs on cattle coming into the United States, including a 50 percent tariff on Brazil.” wrote In an angry post on his Truth social platform in October, he attempted to resolve the disagreement.
“If it weren’t for me, they would be doing the same as they have done for the last 20 years – terrible! It would be nice if they understood this, but they would also have to lower their prices, because the consumer is a huge factor in my thinking too!”
Trump later made an announcement Agreement with Argentina to quadruple the amount of beef exported at lower tariff rates to the US and since He withdrew the 50 percent tariff imposed on Brazilian goods Increasing that country’s market access in the interest of lowering prices for American grocers.
“I don’t really understand it politically, they’ve alienated a group of cattlemen,” said Texas cattleman Jarrell Bolton. foot“He’ll turn us against him, And we’re his biggest supporters,”
Bolton promised to remain loyal to the president for the time being, commenting: “He’s pushing to lower the price of beef, but it’s not a forever deal. I think he’ll adjust.”
Fellow rancher Hank Herrmann, who lives in Caldwell, northwest of Houston, was less forgiving, telling the newspaper, “We feel under attack. People are suddenly looking at ranchers like we’re the bad guys.
“We’re just getting the price that makes ranching affordable. Very few people make much money from ranching, right now we’re at a place where it’s paying some of the bills.”
Milton Charanza, another Caldwell cattleman, said foot: “There is no one who has been taken more advantage of than the American cattleman.
“Rural America expects America to be first in this country. We’re not anti-trade with other people, but we have to take care of the farmers and ranchers here.”
Agriculture Department has stressed that farmers are doing better under the Trump administration, accounting for 53-56 percent of the amount paid for beef in supermarkets this year, compared to 37-50 percent between 2019 and 2024.
But, in addition to finding himself on the front lines of presidential instability trade warLivestock farmers are facing the same inflationary pressures as the broader economy and have been hit by the rising costs of everything from fertilizer to the heavy machinery needed to run their farms, such as tractors, trucks and trailers.
“It’s crazy how much a tractor costs!” Doug Bass, another Texas cattleman from Columbus, complained. “Parts, repair bills. Your feed costs more. Your fuel costs more. There’s a lot that goes into the farm and the cow that people don’t realize.”