August 28, 2026 

Cattle Groups Protest as Trump Signs Beef Import Plan

President Donald Trump signed a proclamation on Wednesday that aims to lower ground beef prices by boosting imports from other countries, reports Politico. This is despite outrage from the beef industry. Trump’s proclamation will remove tariffs from 300,000 metric tons of imported lean beef trimmings for 90 days. He said the countries supplying the beef would sell it at 25 percent below current market prices. Industry backlash comes from the American Farm Bureau Federation, Livestock Marketing Association, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, and United States Cattlemen’s Association. A joint letter from the groups warns that the policy will devastate domestic cattle markets, discourage herd-rebuilding, and ultimately compromise food security, reports Drovers. The coalition wrote that the announcement has already driven cattle markets sharply lower, and it undermines producers at a critical time of year when they are marketing cattle and making herd-building decisions.

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Soy Checkoff Invites Farmers to Prove the Quality of Their Crop

Soybean farmers have a free, straightforward way to prove the quality of their crop to the world. Through the Annual Soybean Quality Survey, funded by the Soy Checkoff, farmers can send in a sample from their 2026 harvest at no cost and receive a personalized report on its quality. The effort helps position U.S. soy as the premium choice for customers worldwide. Farmer participation supports the U.S. Soybean Export Council in building international marketing programs. As the global marketplace grows more competitive, U.S. soy increasingly wins on value and quality rather than price alone. Survey data gives buyers a clear, science-based picture of the protein, oil value, and overall composition of the U.S. crop, and it helps ensure every growing region is represented at global buyers’ conferences. When farmers include the seed company and variety with their sample, they also help researchers identify which varieties deliver the most value to international customers. Request a free sample kit at unitedsoybean.org.

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Pork Processors Confront Soft Demand

U.S. pork processors are facing growing headwinds. Prices for key products used in further processing continue to weaken, according to the National Pork Board’s latest Profit Maximizer report prepared by Steiner Consulting Group. Despite hog slaughter running below year-ago levels, bone-in ham prices remain near annual lows in the low $70 range, highlighting soft demand. Picnic primal values have also fallen sharply, down 28% from a year ago. Exports account for nearly half of U.S. ham and picnic production. Weak global prices coupled with intense international competition have weighed heavily on values. The pork trim market has shown mixed performance. Fat trim prices have benefited from a seasonal decline in slaughter, while 72% lean trim values remain under pressure as additional boneless muscle cuts enter trim channels. Fresh pork prices have been relatively steady but continue to trail year-ago levels. Ribs, which enjoyed strong summer demand, are beginning to face seasonal pressure and are expected to weaken further this fall.

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Farmers Struggling to Get Services from Depleted USDA Workforce

Nationwide, farmers and rural residents describe struggling to obtain the basic services USDA is meant to offer, including loans and grants, technical assistance, and financing for housing and utilities due to “skeletal staffing”, reports The New York Times. The Natural Resources Conservation Service, for example, has lost more than 2,700 workers, or nearly a fourth of its staff. Progressive Farmer says while farmers in Polk County, Iowa, still have a Farm Service Agency office to visit, four out of five days that office will be closed. Calls are rerouted, and employees from other counties come in to staff the office. In a recent interview with DTN, Deputy Secretary Stephen Vaden said NRCS has a map identifying staffing shortages and that the agency is working to even it out. The agency said it plans to hire 272 NRCS employees this year, leaving it 346 short of its 9,500-employee goal, and below its 2020-25 average of 10,698, according to Progressive Farmer.

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Arizona Border Reopens to Mexican Cattle; New Mexico Crossings Next

Mexico resumed live cattle exports to the United States on Aug. 24 after a nearly two-year shutdown tied to New World screwworm concerns, with cattle crossing through the Douglas, Arizona, port under new inspection and tracking protocols, according to The Associated Press. Animals are screened by U.S. and Mexican authorities and fitted with radio-frequency identification tags. Crossings are initially capped at 700 head per day before increasing in coming weeks. Meanwhile, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced that two New Mexico ports of entry will reopen over the next two months, a move expected to bolster U.S. beef supplies, according to Bloomberg. The Santa Teresa crossing, which handled about 40% of Mexican cattle imports before the closure, could significantly boost trade volumes, Bloomberg and Meatingplace reported. Texas ports, however, are not expected to reopen anytime soon, Meatingplace reported.

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How Farmer Sentiment Compares in the U.S. and Argentina

A comparison of the Purdue University–CME Group Ag Economy Barometer (U.S.) and the Austral Ag Barometer (Argentina) found sharply different outlooks among farmers despite shared challenges such as high input costs and low commodity prices. Survey data from May to June 2026 showed U.S. crop producers were largely pessimistic, with 57% expecting difficult conditions over the next five years, while 53% of Argentine producers anticipated good times. Livestock producers in both countries were optimistic, though confidence was stronger in Argentina. Argentine farmers were also more likely to expect farmland values to rise, reflecting optimism about improved agricultural policies, lower export taxes, greater market openness, and access to financing. U.S. producers generally expected stable land prices, citing factors such as high existing valuations and interest rates. Despite differing outlooks, producers in both countries identified high input costs as the biggest obstacle to improving farm finances, followed by low commodity prices and weather risks. Argentine farmers additionally highlighted policy uncertainty as a major concern affecting long-term investment decisions.

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