Overview
- Administration officials confirmed a fourfold increase to Argentina’s low‑tariff beef quota and said imports will meet U.S. inspection equivalency, as USDA also rolled out measures to support domestic producers.
- Fourteen House Republicans led by Ways and Means Chair Jason Smith urged Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins and USTR Jamieson Greer to require reciprocal market access and verify safety standards before expanding access.
- GOP senators from cattle states pressed Rollins in private meetings this week, yet officials indicated the plan is proceeding to add supply and lower grocery costs.
- Producers reported immediate market turbulence, with accounts of roughly 20% declines in cattle futures in recent weeks and some ranchers postponing sales.
- Disputes over animal‑health risks intensified after Rollins referenced a foot‑and‑mouth issue in Argentina, while an international reference lab reports no outbreak since 2006, and critics questioned consumer benefits as ground beef averaged $6.32 per pound in September and NCBA highlighted a five‑year U.S.–Argentina beef trade gap.