Trump suggests US will buy Argentinian beef to bring down prices for American consumers

[Deminpenn]

3. That won't help supermarkets that sell only US beef

My local major supermarket sells only US beef. I asked one of the meat section managers why the prices were so high, the manager explained that the US cattle count is the lowest it has been in decades. It's for reasons unrelated to tariffs or competition from imports.

Per NPR

Why has the price gone up?

It's the law of supply and demand. America's beef cattle herd is the smallest in 75 years, in part because of drought. But Americans' love of hamburgers and steaks has kept demand strong — until recently.

In July, the U.S. Department of Agriculture continued to record a shrinking number of U.S. cattle and calves, forecasting that beef production would decline 4% over this year and another 2% in 2026.

Meanwhile, foreign imports are also down. Brazilian beef faces a 76% tariff. Fears about the screwworm parasite have led the USDA to block livestock from crossing from Mexico to the U.S. to safeguard the nation's food supply.

Ranching in America can be a topsy-turvy, break-even or money-losing business, but not right now.

"We've kind of hit this perfect storm," says Brady Blackett, a third-generation Angus cattle producer in Utah. "There's healthy competition for the cattle, and there's not enough of them to fulfill the demand. And so it has driven prices to historic highs."

Link: https://www.npr.org/2025/09/18/nx-s1-5534424/beef-prices-record-high-cost