Congressman Mark Alford (MO-04) issued the following statement after the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced an “Plan for American Ranchers and Consumers” and the Trump Administration separately announced it is planning to increase beef imports from Argentina.
“We will always stand with Missouri ranchers and beef producers,” said Congressman Alford. “The announcement from USDA to encourage more domestic beef consumption, develop the next generation of cattle ranchers, and streamline regulations for small processors is a promising step that supports Missouri producers.
“Importing more Argentinian beef undermines those very same producers who we all want to help, distorts markets, and weakens public health. American beef is second to none and we shouldn’t try to replace it with lesser foreign products. I strongly urge the Administration to reconsider this action.
“Taken together, these actions amount to one step forward and two steps back. We must seek market-based solutions to strengthen our food supply chain and lower grocery prices.”