U.S. President Donald Trump announced that his administration has reached an agreement to reduce beef prices for consumers, during an event held Thursday in the Oval Office.
On Monday, speaking from Air Force One, he gave further hints about this intention and said that the United States will “buy more Argentine beef.” Argentina faces midterm elections next weekend, and Trump aims to help President Milei’s administration achieve good results.
Yesterday, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture **Brooke Rollins** gave further hints, saying that “in a day or two” there could be news on the matter, while downplaying expectations by noting that “it won’t be much” compared to the total amount of beef consumed in the country.
The U.S. Cattlemen’s Association (USCA) warned that "federal intervention could create volatility" in the live cattle and feedlot markets, potentially "harming producers".
As of yesterday, no details were known about how the agreement for the United States to purchase more Argentine beef would be implemented. It would likely involve granting an additional duty-free quota on top of the 20,000 tons the South American country already enjoys—probably by reallocating part of the quota volume granted to third countries (which Brazil had been using almost exclusively in recent months), similar to what Washington did a few months ago with the 13,000-ton quota assigned to the United Kingdom.
The U.S. cattle herd is at its lowest level in decades due to drought and high costs, as many producers have liquidated breeding cows. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in August American consumers paid a record US$ 6.318 per pound of ground beef. The outlook could worsen in 2026, when the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) projects a further decline in total beef supply.
External supply is also constrained: cattle imports from Mexico remain suspended to prevent the spread of the New World screwworm parasite, while Brazilian beef shipments —from one of the world’s top producers— are subject to an additional 40% surcharge.
The beef initiative follows an earlier government action to reduce egg prices, which had become a symbol of inflation and consumer concern over rising grocery costs. In that case, the U.S. responded by increasing imports and providing extra support to poultry producers.
