US beef producers: “Lowering prices for Americans shouldn’t come at the cost of U.S. ranchers.”

Photo above - official motto of the US beef industry . . .

America is at a historic crossroads. Pick one: do we want affordable groceries, or higher profits for the nation’s cattle producers? (see link below). Oh, my goodness . . . how to choose? How to choose?

This is not a hit piece on President Trump. He’s using executive orders to suspend – at least temporarily – punitive tariffs on Argentina, Brazil, and New Zealand’s beef exports. Do we buy beef from Canada, too? Maybe Trump can get them out from under THOSE tariffs?

There is a caterwauling of protest from US ranchers and meatpackers. Not just the specter of reduced profits, but sub-prime beef, inspection irregularities, and potentially reduced campaign contributions to politicians in retaliation by the beef industry. Wow – that’s certainly going to get someone’s attention, no?

Probably more people buy burgers at the drive thru than the supermarket these days. McDonalds and Burger King are wisely keeping mum about the potential return of the dollar menu if beef taxes are reduced. Personally, I never liked those nasty $1 value menu burgers. Even kids don’t like them.

Remember the days when you could get a Big Mac, fries and soda for $1.99? Yesterday I paid $11.99. Affordable burgers are probably NEVER coming back, not matter how many games our politicians play with tariffs, import quotas, price supports, and strategic stockpiles, etc. The political party of free markets is as guilty as the party of higher taxes and spending for our food problems.

Vice President JD Vance actually might have this one right. In a speech last month, he urged listeners NOT to make campaign contributions during this election cycle. That we should save our scarce dollars for the grocery store instead. I’m guessing nobody will listen though. On November 4th we’re certainly going to hear that 2026 set a new record for midterm campaign spending. And that food prices are still rising faster than we can imagine.

I’m just sayin’ . . .



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