Farm State Republicans say Argentinian beef imports undermine American cattle producers - Jeff Monosso is live

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Jeff and Osar Fox correspondent covering a story here the
Farmer State Republicans. Now you have to say that Argentinian
beef imports are undermining our American cattle producers. We've been
talking about this with Lee this morning and a new letter.
Jeff Wealkman, Thanks for being here.

Speaker 2 (00:14):
It's good to be with you. J At fourteen Republicans
saying that while the plan aims to ease the pressure
on American wallets, it's hurting US farmers, ranchers, and agricultural producers.
They're concerned that granting additional market access to Argentina, with
beef already one of our largest beef suppliers, will undermine

(00:35):
American cattle producers and weaken our position in ongoing trade negotiations,
and also reintroduce avoidable animal health risks. They say all
that in a letter to Agricultural Secretary Brook Rawlins, signed
by a Rep. Jason Smith, Republican Missouri, chairman of the
Housewaves and Means Committee, and also Reps from Nebraska, Florida, Texas, Ohio, Minnesota,

(00:59):
are Indiana, Tennessee of Wahoma, North Carolina. These Republicans are
calling for increased investments here at home as a way
of lowering prices rather than relying on imports that they say,
you know America at first means American beef.

Speaker 1 (01:15):
Well, I got to tell you this would certainly ramp
up American productivity. I would hope that. Why are we
importing so much beef from Argentina? First of all, well,
you know, politically we want to do this to help
them and get along with them. Or do we really
need it? I mean, do we not have enough cattle
farmers in America to handle our own needs?

Speaker 2 (01:34):
Well. President Trump ledges to protect Americans ranchers and also
deliver economic relief for everyday Americans, and the White House
is telling us that the administration is accomplishing both by
expanding beef imports from Argentina to lower consumer prices in
the short term while rolling out new USDA initiatives that

(01:56):
will support ranchers and expand cattle herd sizes to keep
prices lower in the long term. So, beef prices they
started going up under the Biden administration during the pandemic,
and they reached a record high in July, driven in
part by a record low US cattle inventory. So that's
a huge problem. When the average price for ground beef,

(02:18):
you know, sur past six bucks a pound, stakes eleven
eighty eight per pound. All fresh retail beef also had
a record eight dollars and ninety cents per pound. I'll
tell you this. Everybody knows how expensive beef is, but
the smallest heard since the nineteen fifties. It was a
drought and it was high input costs. In other words,

(02:40):
you know, higher expenses for feed, fuel, and labor that
have led to a reduction in the national cattle herd
to its lowest level in over seventy years. Of the
President's trying to reverse that while at the same time
lower prices in the short term.

Speaker 1 (02:56):
Well, I sure appreciate that update.

Speaker 2 (02:58):
Boy.

Speaker 1 (02:58):
I hope we can get some help forms for sure
on this one, Jeff. But also thank you, buddy.

Speaker 2 (03:02):
It's