Posted on 10/21/2025 8:33:31 PM PDT by Miami Rebel
Many GOP senators raised concerns directly with President Donald Trump on Tuesday about his idea to buy more beef from Argentina, according to four Republicans who attended a lunch hosted at the White House.
The Rose Garden lunch was initially scheduled to celebrate GOP unity on the shutdown and clearing Trump’s nominees, but farm-state Republicans have been on edge after the president announced Sunday that he was considering a deal with one of American ranchers’ biggest competitors in order to lower food prices.
Trump told lawmakers that he was worried about consumer beef prices in the U.S. but also worried about ranchers, according to the three people.
A handful of GOP senators spoke one-on-one Tuesday in different settings with Trump, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins to express reservations about the president exploring a deal with Argentina to import beef. However, those officials weren’t on the same page about what the U.S. plans to do.
Depending on which Trump official you talk to about it, “everyone says something different,” said one GOP senator, granted anonymity to speak candidly.
Rollins is expected to clarify the possible agreement later today during a livestock roundtable Sen. Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.) is hosting, according to two other people with direct knowledge of the matter.
Beef industry groups who have traditionally supported Trump’s trade agenda are also urging the president to reverse course on his Argentina proposal, worried it will undermine the economic viability of their operations.
Yes, I have been eating chicken ham/pork a lot. I can get chicken on sale as low as $.79/lb and ham for $.99/lb. I know President Trump is trying to make a deal with Argentina for beef. But I had beef from Argentina, yes it is cheap less than $10/lb for ribeye, but there is hardly any marbling.
“Why US beef prices skyrocketed is a bigger question. What whacked out regulations were imposed on the beef and feed industries to cause this?”
Just speculating, but perhaps it has something to do with the deportation of cheap, illegal labor.
Yeah, I live in central PA (Lebanon) and I love meat especially red meat. But it is so high priced, I don’t buy too much of it anymore. Chicken/ham/pork is what I buy now.
93% lean hamburger at Fry’s in AZ is $4.99 lb. Boneless sirloin is $5.99 lb.
Well we are importing eggs,chicken and beef but not Pork at the moment. I am in the chicken and beef business and feed prices are the worst I have ever seen. Replacement Cow calf pairs wnt from under $2000 to $3000 to 6000 depending where you are at. Chicks(common breeds) from $3 Last year $6-7 today....
Georgia is getting ripped off.
“ Well we are importing eggs,chicken and beef but not Pork at the moment.”
_________
Not pork, because we imported China CCP to take over pork.
We buy a locally raised cow every year and pay about $6.50/lb hanging weight (about 850 lbs total). It’s a lot up front, and requires a large freezer, but it lasts us over a year.
I’d like to be able to do that, but there’s only two of us at home now and she doesn’t eat much meat at all.
Thinking about it more, maybe I could talk my niece into splitting it with me. She’s got a big family and a nice freezer. I think unground meat keeps for about a year, depending on its size and fat content. But I’ve never bought meat like that. So I’m not even sure what is included, etc.
For my family get togethers and holidays ( Easter Hams, Beef Tenderloin, Cowboy steaks, Briskets) I’ll buy guaranteed quality meats from Snake River Farms, but boy is it expensive. Awesome quality though.
We get ours from a farmer in Ball Ground.
Hubby is carnivore so he eats meat at every meal! I eat it once a week or so. But I know several folks who have done what you’re talking about. Some people just order 1/2 cow and the farmer sells the other half to someone else. The costs include processing too. We found it was cost effective but still really expensive, I know. Years ago we could get it at $3/4 a lb
“but there is hardly any marbling.”
Argentine beef is almost all purely grass fed off the vast Pampas. Purely grass fed beef has lots less marbling and the fat can be yellow from the beta c. In the grass it also is much higher in health omega 3 fat vs omega 6 of corn feed meats.
Fun fact Argentines eat more beef per capita than anyone else on earth. Having been there in th per oil province it looks like Montana or Wyoming and there are cattle everywhere. The asado is not just a weekend thing it is THE weekend thing they Asado cross half and quarter steers for sport pretty much every weekend it’s like a CajunBoucherie but with a cow vs a hog. Crazy amounts of beef and booze and music good times for both cultures.
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