Illinois beef producers say Trump’s Argentina beef plan hurts farmers
[October 30, 2025]
By Catrina Barker | The Center Square contributor
(The Center Square) – Illinois beef producers express frustration over
President Donald Trump’s plan to expand beef imports from Argentina, a
move he says will lower grocery prices but that many warn could hurt
U.S. farmers already struggling with tight margins.
Talking with reporters last week, Trump defended the plan as a
short-term measure to stabilize food costs.
“The only price we have that’s high is beef, and we’ll get that down,”
Trump said. “One of the things we’re thinking about doing is beef from
Argentina. If we do that, that will bring our beef prices down. I’m not
talking about that much from Argentina, but it would help Argentina,
which we consider a very good country, a very good ally.”
Illinois Beef Association Director Josh St. Peters said producers
already feel market volatility since Trump’s announcement.
“The markets have at least been able to help producers break even and
try to make a little money to pay their bills,” said St. Peters. “In the
five trading days since the President pushed for increasing imports of
beef from Argentina, we’ve seen a steady decline in the futures markets
for live cattle and feeder cattle. That’s directly impacting the amount
of money that farmers make.”
St. Peters said Trump’s recent push to import beef from Argentina, meant
to lower grocery costs, is instead hurting farmers: cattle prices drop
up to 12% while grocery prices rise.
“What we call the boxed beef indicator, that’s the beef trade metric
between grocery stores and retailers, has actually increased over the
last week and a half,” St. Peters said.
Supporters say Trump’s Argentina beef deal reduces reliance on China,
but many Illinois farmers who backed his “America First” agenda are now
questioning the policy.
“President Trump campaigned pretty blatantly on an America first
agenda,” he said. “But beef producers and farmers in general at this
point are feeling very disenfranchised because this is a South America
first agenda that he’s proposed.”
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A black Angus cow stands near a fence in a grassy pasture. Photo:
Greg Bishop / The Center Square
In recent remarks, Trump said that the policy would not “benefit
Argentina more than U.S. farmers,” calling the South American nation
“a country fighting for its life.”
“They have no money. They have nothing,” Trump said. “If I can help
them survive in a free world, I happen to like the president of
Argentina. I think he’s trying to do the best he can.”
St. Peters warned that the trade proposal risks undercutting U.S.
producers while rewarding competitors.
“Essentially, they’re putting a premium, according to President
Trump, on beef in South America versus domestically produced beef,”
he said. “By importing from Argentina, we’re bringing in South
American beef and our understanding of trade in Argentina is that a
lot of the beef that makes its way through their market for export
actually originates in Brazil.”
St. Peters said the focus should be on stabilizing domestic markets
and keeping consumer confidence high.
“We’re encouraging consumers to continue buying beef at the grocery
store, to continue dining on beef when you’re out,” he said.
The Illinois Beef Association, based in Springfield, represents more
than 17,000 beef producers statewide.
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