Texas Ranchers Turn AGAINST Trump

Texas cattle ranchers are mounting unprecedented opposition to Trump’s plan to quadruple Argentine beef imports, creating a rift between the President and his traditional rural base over a policy they warn threatens American ranches and food security.

Story Highlights

Trump proposes quadrupling low-tariff Argentine beef imports to combat record high consumer prices
Texas ranchers and major cattle organizations warn the policy will devastate domestic producers
Disease concerns emerge over foot-and-mouth risk from Argentina imports
Republican Texas Agriculture Commissioner offers alternative five-point plan

Trump’s Import Plan Sparks Industry Rebellion

President Trump’s proposal to quadruple low-tariff beef imports from Argentina has ignited fierce opposition from Texas cattle ranchers and major industry organizations. The plan, designed to address record high beef prices that reached over $6.32 per pound for ground beef in September 2025, represents a dramatic shift in trade policy that prioritizes consumer relief over domestic producer protection. The Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association formally opposes the expansion, while the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association declares it “cannot stand behind the President while he undercuts the future of family farmers and ranchers.”

The pushback reveals a significant fracture within Trump’s traditional coalition, as longtime supporters find themselves opposing a core administration policy. Southeast Texas rancher Neil Yelderman warns that producers “won’t survive” the import surge after finally seeing profits following years of devastating drought. This sentiment echoes throughout cattle country, where ranchers who weathered financial hardships during herd liquidation now face potential market collapse from foreign competition.

Disease Risks and Market Stability Concerns

Beyond economic impacts, ranchers raise serious biosecurity concerns about importing beef from Argentina, a country where foot-and-mouth disease remains present. The Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association warns that such imports pose “a serious threat” to American livestock health, potentially exposing domestic herds to catastrophic disease outbreaks that could devastate the entire industry. This represents a fundamental clash between short-term consumer price relief and long-term agricultural security that conservative producers view as reckless.

Industry experts emphasize that the proposal undermines natural market correction through domestic herd rebuilding. After years of drought-forced liquidation, ranchers were positioning to expand operations and restore supply through traditional American production methods. The flood of Argentine imports threatens to disrupt this recovery cycle, potentially forcing more family operations out of business and concentrating production in larger, corporate-controlled facilities that can absorb price volatility.

Republican Leaders Offer Alternative Solutions

Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller, a longtime Trump ally, publicly criticized the import plan while proposing a five-point alternative focused on strengthening domestic production. His recommendations include expanding grazing access on federal lands, providing tax incentives for herd expansion, and reversing the agricultural trade deficit through structural reforms. Miller’s intervention highlights how even loyal Republican officials recognize the policy’s threat to rural constituents and American agricultural independence.

The controversy exposes tensions between populist consumer appeals and conservative principles of supporting domestic industry and maintaining food security. Texas ranchers, who form a crucial part of Trump’s base, argue that sacrificing American producers for temporary price relief undermines national self-sufficiency and rewards foreign competitors at the expense of patriotic farmers who endured economic hardship to maintain domestic food production.