How will Trump’s beef deal with Argentina affect Iowa ranchers?

Iowa ranchers are concerned about the domestic impact of a recent trade deal that would allow the U.S. to import an additional 80,000 metric tons of lean beef trimmings from Argentina.

President Donald Trump issued a proclamation to temporarily increase the U.S. tariff-rate quota for Argentinian beef, with a goal of improving the affordability of ground beef for consumers.

The proclamation said beef prices have increased due to shrinking U.S. cattle herds, complications with imports from Mexico because of new world screwworm and widespread drought and wildfire.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows the price of ground beef per pound rose more than a dollar from January to December in 2025. Beef averaged $6.52 per pound at the end of the year, per the index.

“As President of the United States, I have a responsibility to ensure that hard-working Americans can afford to feed themselves and their families,” the proclamation reads.

According to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the U.S. imported 32,800 tons of boneless beef from Argentina in 2024. The recent 80,000-ton deal is specific to “lean beef trimmings” from Argentina, which can be blended with higher-fat trimmings in the U.S. to produce ground beef products.

Iowa Farmers Union president Aaron Lehman said the deal puts Iowa farmers and rural communities “on the front lines” of the president’s trade wars.

“Iowa farmers are proud of what we grow and we want to provide safe affordable food to consumers,” Lehman said in a news release. “We should put our support with American farmers and rural communities.”

Berleen Wobeter, a Tama County farmer, said it is “crazy” that the president would “put the interest of Argentina beef producers ahead of American farmers and ranchers.”

“Why doesn’t the President trust American farmers and ranchers?” Wobeter said in the release with Iowa Farmers Union. “We’ve been raising cattle for over 40 years. There are boom and bust cycles that we’ve had to navigate. There are lots of reasons the US cattle herd is reduced and beef prices are high right now.”