By South Dakota Searchlight staff
Amid a backlash against President Donald Trump’s recent suggestion to import more Argentinian beef, a U.S. senator from South Dakota said he came away from a Tuesday meeting at the White House “encouraged by the desire” that Trump and his top agriculture official showed to “do right by the American producer.”
Republican Mike Rounds said he met with Trump and Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins about “the concerns I’ve heard from hundreds of South Dakota ranchers” since Trump’s comments.
“We agree that we need an America First game plan that prioritizes American ranchers,” Rounds said in a written statement about the meeting, adding, “I encourage patience as we await final details to be released, and in the meantime, continue to share your opinions with the administration.”
Rounds said that instead of importing beef, policymakers should “place an emphasis on creating better conditions for American farmers and ranchers to drive prices down by increasing their ability to supply more product.”
The average price of ground chuck is more than a dollar-a-pound higher than it was in January, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Trump made his comments Sunday while speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One about how he would bring down prices for American consumers.
“We would buy some beef from Argentina,” Trump said. “If we do that, that will bring our beef prices down.”
The comments sparked widespread criticism from ranchers and groups representing them. That included the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, which said, “although beef prices have increased, consumer demand for beef remains strong because of the work American cattle producers have done to improve the quality and safety of U.S. beef.”
“We call on President Trump and members of Congress to let the market work, rather than intervening in ways that do nothing but harm rural America,” the association said.
South Dakota Searchlight launched in 2022. The Searchlight is an affiliate of States Newsroom, the nation’s largest state-focused nonprofit news organization, supported by grants and donations. The staff of the Searchlight retains full editorial independence.
