North Dakota Farmers Union President says importing Argentine beef is wrong approach to growing supply

FARGO, N.D. (KVRR) — Farmers across the nation may be impacted by a new push from the Trump Administration to import Argentine beef.

President Trump signed an executive order on Friday to export an additional 80,000 metric tons of beef to the U.S. tariff-free.

It comes at a time of high demand for beef, as prices surge.

North Dakota Farmers Union issued a statement calling the imports the wrong approach to growing the beef supply.

They say it will push down the prices paid to American ranchers, not the grocery store prices paid by consumers.

“Increasing imports is not going to be the best or even a good long-term solution to addressing beef prices. In fact, all this is going to do is harm the U.S. cattle producer without meaningfully reducing consumer beef prices,” said Matt Perdue, North Dakota Farmers Union President.

Perdue is urging the administration to address consolidation in the meatpacking sector and advance country-of-origin labeling.