Rep. Mark Alford (R-Missouri) has voiced concerns over the Trump administration’s decision to increase the tariff quota on beef imports from Argentina by four times, stating that the quality of Argentine beef isn’t very impressive.
“I really support our local beef producers,” Alford mentioned during an interview with anchor Oscar Jimenez. “We don’t need to bring in more beef from Argentina.”
He went on to share his own experience from a trip to Argentina last year with President Javier Milley, noting, “To be honest, the beef there wasn’t that good. I’d take Missouri and Kansas City steaks over Argentinian beef any day.”
While acknowledging the rising beef prices, he emphasized the struggles facing workers in agriculture.
“Americans are hurting because beef prices keep climbing,” Alford pointed out. “The costs that farmers and ranchers are facing are just too high. We’re losing about a thousand farms a month in this country.”
From August 2024 to August 2025, beef and veal prices saw a 13.9% increase. In response, President Trump took to Truth Social recently, urging ranchers and farmers to lower their prices after they criticized his plan to boost meat imports from Argentina as a means to reduce domestic costs.
Trump stated, “My beloved ranchers don’t realize that they’ve been doing so well for the first time in decades because I imposed tariffs on cattle imported to the U.S., including a hefty 50% tariff on Brazil.”
If not for those tariffs, he suggested, they’d be facing the same challenges they have for the last twenty years. “That’s unacceptable!” he added.
White House Press Secretary Anna Kelly reiterated the administration’s commitment to protecting American ranchers while offering economic relief to citizens in a statement to The Hill. She mentioned that the government aims to balance the expansion of beef imports from Argentina—meant to lower consumer prices in the short term—with new USDA initiatives designed to support ranchers and boost herd sizes for better long-term pricing.
Other Republicans have also expressed skepticism regarding Trump’s import plan, suggesting it might negatively impact American ranchers. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (SD) commented that the plan generates considerable market uncertainty. Meanwhile, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (GA) described the president’s actions as a “devastating blow to American ranchers,” noting their understandable frustration.
