Bullard Reacts To High Beef Import Numbers

The USDA is out with its December cattle and beef trade data, meaning a full view of 2020 is now possible. Imports of beef are continuing to soar, with an all-time high of 4.4 billion pounds coming into the country in 2020. The data shows the average price of fed cattle in 2020 was just under $1.09 per pound, while all-fresh retail beef prices were the highest yearly average in history at $6.39 per pound.

R-CALF USA CEO Bill Bullard says U.S. cattle producers have been receiving depressed prices for the last five years.

"Cattle producers are now receiving below the cost of production while consumers are paying record prices for beef. That indicates that the market is fundamentally broken and must be fixed quickly, otherwise we will continue to see an exodus of our American family farmers and ranchers who raise and sell cattle."

Imported beef he noted was extremely cheap in 2020 as the average fed cattle price was lower than any other year during the past decade. In fact, the U.S. has been a net importer of beef and cattle for the past several decades, with a cumulative trade deficit of over 20 million metric tons.

"What this does is it displaces the domestic cattle producer's access to their own American market because they are using cheaper, undifferentiated imports as a direct substitute and that is harming not only the cattle producers out here but rural communities all across America."

Bullard added that after seeing the 2020 data, both cattle producers and consumers should be calling their congressional delegations to tell them Americans must put a stop to failed trade policies that promote cheaper imports at the expense of the American cattle farmers and rancher.

If you have a story idea for the PNW Ag Network, call (509) 547-1618, or e-mail gvaagen@cherrycreekmedia.com