Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
- Utah cattle ranchers criticized President Donald Trump's plan to import beef from Argentina.
- Jeff Young, Utah Cattlemen's Association president, questions the decision, citing better quality in U.S. beef.
- Concerns also include disease and undercutting American producers, though some ranchers are downplaying the threat.
SALT LAKE CITY — Utah cattle ranchers are speaking out about President Donald Trump's plan for the United States to buy more beef from Argentina.
"Most ranchers I know have been very supportive of the president, very appreciative of a lot of his initiatives," said Jeff Young, president of the Utah Cattlemen's Association. "And they're kind of scratching their head over this one."
Young told KSL the beef produced in the U.S. is "by far the highest quality in the world." That's why he's confused over the president's call to import beef from Argentina. Young is concerned about diseases — and undercutting Americans.
The cattle rancher acknowledged that beef prices are high, but he believes that will all work itself out, as it has in the past.
"There's going to be times that it's high and times that it's low," Young said. "But just let the free market function as it does. It's very efficient at placing product and incentivizing producers."
Some of Utah's congressional delegation are speaking out on this.
"We grow better beef in the United States than they do in Argentina," said Rep. Celeste Maloy, R-2nd District, in a video Friday on social media.
Sen. John Curtis, R-Utah, wrote on X: "Utah cattle ranchers already face enormous challenges bringing beef to market — without competing against foreign subsidies and lower standards. I respect the President's intent, but there are better ways to help allies than undercutting our own producers."
But Brian Johnson, a cattle rancher in Tooele County, pointed out that the U.S. already imports beef from several places. He's not as worried about the president's plan.
"I think we're going to see a little decline, but I feel like the market's still going to be strong," Johnson said. "The demand's there."
Johnson also noted the difference between U.S. and Argentine beef.
"I don't feel like it's as big a threat to import that kind of Argentine cattle," he said. "They're not like ours. We're producing a high-quality cow here in the U.S."
Yet, others don't feel as optimistic. Joe Fuhriman, a cattle rancher in Cache County and past president of the Utah Cattlemen's Association, told KSL he was "really upset" when he heard the president call for importing foreign beef.
Fuhriman echoed concerns about disease and lower-quality meat coming from Argentina.
"If the consumer's smart, they will tell the stores that they won't buy that," he said. "They want American beef."
Fuhriman said he's generally supported Trump in the past and felt he was a friend to cattle ranchers.
"Now it's changing," he said. "It's hard to deal with."
In a statement, Utah Farm Bureau also reacted to the president's plan, saying farmers have dealt with economic challenges, high expenses, and cattle farms "decimated" by drought and low prices.
"If expanded imports push farmers deeper into the red, we face the unintended consequence of increasing reliance on other countries for our food and weakening our ability to rebuild a strong American herd," the organization said.
