It may be early September before the countries potentially allowed to import beef to US consumers will be named.
In the meantime, one federal lawmaker from Kansas says this “isn’t the best move on the President’s part” — although Roger Marshall says the goal of lowering prices in the grocery store is valid. Speaking on KCMO on Monday, Marshall says there are some steps underway now to lower the pressure on prices, in part through getting New World screwworn contained after an extended outbreak in Mexico. There is also the import-export picture to consider.
Marshall says ranchers may be doing well now, but they are not making a fortune and they weren’t doing well recently.
Marshall says cattle markets are in good shape now, and possibly expanding beef imports on a short-term basis through early November likely won’t change things.
And ranchers and ag advocacy groups are still unhappy with President Trump’s plan to reduce grocery prices by importing beef that’s both exempt from out-of-quota tariffs and sold at 25 percent below market cost to buyers.
Brody Peak owns Emporia Livestock Sales and says government intrusion in a business operation is never good.
Peak sees some positives to the idea. He does not see positives in its effects on producers.
Peak sees issues for ranchers — but he also sees concerns for his business. Peak says markets have become increasingly responsive to external pressures, which can also lead to uncertainty — and big price swings up to $10 per day.
Peak is also the Midwestern director and the chair for government and industry affairs for the Livestock Marketing Association. Regardless of his role, he says there is another underlying concern for the beef industry as these discussions continue: product quality, whether with the beef itself or with the safety inspection process.
Peak says the United States would be better served by working to reduce fuel costs.
Scott Briggs has an operation near Reading. He says the plan is a bad idea, in part because it comes with a small overall herd — the smallest nationwide in 75 years — and high input costs like food and fuel. The general consensus is the herd size needs to expand. However…
To expand the herd, Briggs says ranchers need to be in an environment where they can make a profit by doing so. Right now, that’s not always the case.
Briggs is concerned about some market factors possibly tightening the herd even more.
Briggs also says ranches have lost some of their potential employees due to immigration policies affecting migrant workers, adding, “we’re not very inviting to them.”
