By SPEAKIN’ OUT NEWS
In a sharp rebuke of former President Donald Trump’s proposal to quadruple beef imports from Argentina, the Alabama Cattlemen’s Association (ACA) has voiced fierce opposition, calling the move “a devastating blow to America’s ranchers and rural communities.”
The plan, unveiled during a recent campaign event, seeks to expand trade with Argentina by increasing beef imports by up to 400%. While Trump defended the idea as a “strategic step to lower consumer prices,” cattle producers across the South—especially in Alabama—viewed it as a direct threat to the U.S. beef industry and the livelihoods it sustains.
“America’s ranchers built this country’s food economy. This proposal undermines everything we stand for,” said ACA Executive Vice President Erin Beasley, adding that the decision “prioritizes foreign markets over hardworking American cattlemen.”
The backlash extends beyond Alabama. National agricultural groups and some of Trump’s traditional allies within the Republican Party have expressed alarm over the potential ripple effects on U.S. meat prices and domestic production. Critics argue that an influx of imported beef could lead to lower market prices for U.S. cattle and heightened economic pressure on family-owned farms already struggling with inflation and drought conditions.
Colin Woodall, CEO of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), immediately slammed Trump’s plan, stating that the organization “cannot stand behind the President while he undercuts the future of family farmers and ranchers by importing Argentinian beef in an attempt to influence prices.”
While Trump retorted on Truth Social that American cattle ranchers simply “don’t understand” how much he has helped their business through his tariff policy, criticism of the plan has only continued to grow.
Alabama’s cattle ranchers are now echoing Woodall’s statement, lambasting what they see as Trump’s disregard for the negative impact the move would have on cattlemen in the state.
“In Alabama, we wholeheartedly agree with the position the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association has taken in this matter,” said ACA President Keith Glover in a recent statement. “President Trump’s comments dishearten and discredit the hard work and investment of America’s beef farmers and ranchers who produce the safest and highest-quality beef product globally.”
“We cannot and will not back the President as he undercuts the men and women who represent the backbone of the nation’s beef industry and rural economy,” Glover added.
Meanwhile, consumer advocates note that Argentina’s lower production costs could benefit shoppers—though they, too, warn that quality and safety standards differ significantly between U.S. and South American beef operations.
The ACA said it plans to join other state associations in urging Congress to block the proposal, framing the issue as both an economic and patriotic fight. “This isn’t just about beef,” Beasley said. “It’s about standing up for American agriculture.”