National Ag News for October 24, 2025

President Trump Fires Back at Upset U.S. Cattle Producers

President Donald Trump responded to the backlash against his plan to import beef from Argentina to help lower beef prices in U.S. grocery stores. In a post on Truth Social, Trump said cattlemen should be grateful for his tariff policies. “The cattle ranchers, who I love, don’t understand that the only reason they’re doing so well, for the first time in decades, is because I put tariffs on cattle coming into the U.S., including a 50 percent tariff on beef from Brazil,” Trump said in his post. A Bloomberg report said the plan has drawn the ire of ranchers, who say it could crush the U.S. beef industry. Experts have also said the plan would do little to lower prices at meat counters across the country. The White House plans to increase the tariff-rate quota for Argentinian beef to 80,000 metric tons, effectively quadrupling the amount exempt from 26.4 percent tariffs. 

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USDA Announces Plant for American Ranchers and Consumers

Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins and other Cabinet officials announced multiple actions they say will strengthen the American beef industry, reinforcing and prioritizing the American rancher’s critical role in U.S. national security. “Since 2017, the U.S. has lost over 17 percent of cattle ranches, totaling more than 150,000 operations,” Rollins said. “The national herd is at a 75-year low, while consumer demand is up nine percent in the last decade.” Because rebuilding the herd takes time, the USDA will invest in the markets to make them less volatile over the long term for ranchers and make food more affordable for consumers. The plan for protecting and improving ranching includes strengthening the foundation of U.S. cattle production through endangered species reforms, enhanced disaster relief, increased grazing access, increased access to capital, and affordable risk management tools. The agency will also work to grow the domestic herd while boosting domestic and international demand simultaneously.

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U.S. Ethanol Exports to Set Record

The Energy Information Administration said the U.S. is heading toward a record amount of ethanol exports in 2025. It’s the second-straight year of growth, driven by growing overseas demand, especially in the EU. This growing market for exports is supporting increased U.S. fuel production, even as domestic demand and consumption stagnate. In the first seven months of this year, American fuel ethanol exports averaged 138,000 barrels a day, the highest January through July data, which goes back to 2010, and nine percent more than 2024’s annual record for fuel ethanol exports. Increased exports to the Netherlands accounted for most of the growth from 2024 to 2025, likely reflecting Europe’s growing demand. Also, India, the U.K., and Canada, which all have blend mandates, continue to import substantial volumes of fuel ethanol. The EIA said growth in fuel exports has pushed domestic production past the pre-COVID peak in 2018, despite lower domestic consumption. 

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Clean Fuels Wants Tariff Loophole Closed

Clean Fuels Alliance America wrote to U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and asked him to close a loophole in the administration’s Reciprocal Tariff Regime. Under President Trump’s Executive Order, diesel and renewable diesel are both exempted from reciprocal tariffs because both are classified under the same Harmonized Tariff Schedule heading. “This loophole invites duty-free access to the United States for imported renewable diesel, putting U.S. biodiesel, renewable diesel, and sustainable aviation fuel producers, who are essential to America’s energy and farm security, at a competitive disadvantage,” the letter said. “Given the ongoing imports of foreign renewable diesel and current challenges for domestic producers and farmers, we ask that you take prompt action to close the loophole.” Kurt Kovarik, vice president of federal affairs for Clean Fuels, said, “Domestic biomass-based diesel represents ten percent of the value of all U.S.-grown soybeans.” That means U.S. trade policy must consistently support U.S. producers.

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Peel: Would Argentinian Beef Imports Make a Big Difference?

Dr. Derrell Peel, a livestock market economist for Oklahoma State University, said that, despite some U.S. beef producers’ dislike of importing beef, imports play an important role in meeting consumer demand. “Once we fabricate those animals, they produce thousands of different products,” Peel told the Radio Oklahoma Network. “However, that mix of products doesn’t always match what beef consumers prefer.” President Trump announced a plan to import beef from Argentina to help lower the price of beef in the U.S. While there has been backlash against the plan, Peel said Argentina’s contribution to U.S. beef is small. “Argentina represented about 2.1 percent of our total beef imports,” he said. “It’s a very minor source of supply.” He also said even if the amount increases, it would represent at most just a minor amount to offset the expected decrease from Brazil due to the current 50 percent tariff on Brazilian imports.

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Supplies, Demand Higher for U.S. Lamb

Despite high meat prices and ongoing economic uncertainties, consumer demand for meat, including American lamb, remains robust. Retailers are reporting continued year-over-year growth in both dollar sales and volume, a clear indicator of steady, resilient consumer loyalty. But shoppers are also becoming more budget-conscious, buying less per trip to the store and opting for lower-priced options like ground lamb. That reflects broader shifts in sentiment and spending across the food industry. This year, lamb and yearling slaughter numbers are about 39,000 head, 3.1 percent higher than last year, and above the five-year average from 2019-2023. “Checkoff dollars invested by the American Lamb Board continue to help consumers learn more about preparing American lamb, and we’re seeing steady growth,” said ALB Chair Jeff Ebert. Through July, U.S. lamb imports totaled 174.9 million pounds, down 4.5 percent year-over-year. Mutton imports are notably lower, down almost 50 percent from last year. 

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