Trump Opens American Market to Brazilian and Argentine Beef as EU Bans Same Imports Over Safety Concerns

Experts are warning shoppers not to expect much relief at the grocery store from President Trump’s decision to let tariff-free beef flow into the United States from Brazil and Argentina, among other countries, as part of a 90-day plan to lower prices for American consumers. “It’s coming from Argentina. It’s coming from Brazil,” Mr. Trump said Friday at an Oval Office event surrounded by ranchers and farmers. “It’s coming from a couple of other places. We have our inspectors down. It’s very clean. It’s very good.”The plan suspends tariffs on 300,000 metric tons of lean beef trimmings — the parts of the cow left over after cutting steaks and other premium cuts — to be sold at a 25-percent discount below market price. Canada’s beef industry will not be included in the arrangement.Most of the imported beef is frozen and expected to head to fast-food chains and food service operations rather than grocery store shelves, meaning everyday shoppers are unlikely to see meaningful price reductions. Experts say the imports represent only about a 2 percent increase in overall beef supply, and any savings are more likely to be absorbed by foreign packers, distributors, and retailers.Substantial price drops at retail are not expected until late 2027 or later, when American cattle herd numbers — currently at multi-decade lows — have had time to recover.The president’s announcement has drawn scrutiny over its timing. Mr. Trump met with Joesley Batista, who co-controls JBS — the world’s largest meatpacking company and the single largest donor to Mr. Trump’s inaugural fund through one of its subsidiaries — one day before announcing the tariff suspension. The Wall Street Journal reported that Mr. Batista lobbied Mr. Trump to lift the 26 percent import duty on Brazilian beef. The Justice Department previously fined Mr. Batista and his brother Wesley in 2020 for violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act through a bribery scheme used to expand American operations.The move comes as the European Union moves in the opposite direction. The EU this week banned Brazilian beef imports, citing concerns that Brazilian meatpackers are not meeting its standards on antibiotic use in livestock. The EU prohibits the use of antimicrobials used to treat humans as animal growth promoters, warning that overuse can create drug-resistant bacteria that spread through food and the environment. Brazil denied that its exports fail to meet adequate standards.Brazil’s government said it is considering reciprocal trade measures if a resolution is not reached. “Brazilian authorities expressed their indignation at the lack of dialogue before the measure was adopted,” Brazil’s agriculture ministry said in a statement, describing the suspension as inconsistent with the strategic partnership between Brazil and the EU.The EU ban is expected to leave Brazilian meat packers with a significant surplus of export-ready products — a bottleneck that likely motivated JBS and Mr. Batista to seek a tariff-free outlet in the United States.Meanwhile, the Department of Justice is widening an investigation into soaring beef prices to include eight of the country’s largest grocery chains: Costco, Kroger, Publix, Walmart, Albertsons, Aldi, Amazon, and Ahold Delhaize USA.The DOJ’s Antitrust Division announced on Tuesday it had expanded its probe into beef affordability to the retail level. Associate Attorney General Stanley E. Woodward Jr. sent letters to the eight companies concerning “the recent increases in the retail price for beef,” according to the department.“Beef prices are a critical concern to Americans and a priority for this Justice Department,” the Department of Justice wrote on X.The cost of beef has risen roughly 10 percent over the past year. According to the latest inflation report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, beef and veal prices climbed 9.4 percent in the 12 months ending in July — well above the 3.4 percent overall inflation rate. Ground beef rose 9 percent, uncooked beef steaks 9.6 percent, and uncooked beef roasts 13.5 percent.The picture is even starker over a longer window. Labor Department data show the price of ground beef has jumped about 24 percent to $6.89 per pound since President Trump returned to office in January 2025.

Trump Opens American Market to Brazilian and Argentine Beef as EU Bans Same Imports Over Safety Concerns

Trump Opens American Market to Brazilian and Argentine Beef as EU Bans Same Imports Over Safety Concerns

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