Steaks on the grill
Credit: Philip Gerlach/American Farm Bureau Federation
October 28, 2025 - Washington, D.C. – On Monday, U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) led a letter with Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, and Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M) to U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Greer calling out the Trump administration’s harmful and undeveloped plan to import more beef from Argentina, which will harm American ranchers.
Related: Iowa Cattlemen’s Association Responds to President Trump's Comments About U.S. Cattle Producers, Say, “Through President Trump’s Continued Rhetoric Regarding Beef Prices, He Continues To Create Undue Harm To U.S. Cattle Producers”
“We write in strong opposition to the Administration’s undeveloped plan to increase imports of Argentinian beef,” the Senators wrote. “This announcement has already had tangible market impacts felt by cattle producers across the country, at a time when cattle producers are looking for long-term stability to rebuild their herds. Rather than reward Argentina’s president and agricultural producers, we encourage you to focus on policies that support American farmers and ranchers and that bring down costs for all Americans.”
To meaningfully lower prices for American families, the Senators called on the Trump Administration to end the chaotic, across-the-board tariffs that are driving market instability and increasing costs.
“In addition, we are concerned that this plan could also introduce serious animal health threats that further cripple U.S. cattle production at a time of low cattle supply…” they continued. “…these animal health threats would pose severe risks to U.S. livestock production, disrupt domestic and international trade, and have far-reaching economic consequences across rural communities and the agricultural supply chain.”
“Instead of introducing additional volatility into the market, we urge you to implement a trade policy that uses targeted tariffs and other tools to ensure U.S. producers can fairly compete in the global marketplace while also ensuring Americans have access to healthy, affordable foods,” the Senators concluded.
The full letter can be found here. Additional signatories include Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), and Peter Welch (D-Vt.).
Senator Cortez Masto has strongly condemned the Trump administration’s decision to import more Argentinian beef, harming Nevada’s ranchers, and joined legislation last week to prohibit the President from using Treasury funds to bail out Argentina’s financial markets.
Senator Cortez Masto has been a champion for Nevada ranchers, from her support of strategic grazing to reduce wildfire risks to her efforts to regulate xylazine while allowing its use by ranchers and veterinarians. She is working on bipartisan bills to protect Nevada’s agricultural infrastructure and rural water systems from cyberattacks. She also led the fight to protect family farms and ranches from an unfair tax hike.
Source: Senator Catherine Cortez Masto
