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The Agriculture Department this week unveiled what it called a "big package" aimed at ramping up domestic beef production, by opening more land for cattle grazing and supporting small meat processors. That proposal came after Trump drew the ire of ranchers when he proposed to import more beef from Argentina, potentially quadrupling the purchases. Eight House Republicans responded with a letter to the White House expressing concern about Trump's import plans. Even the National Cattlemen's Beef Association, which has voiced support for Trump's policies in the past, said the import plan "only creates chaos at a critical time of the year for American cattle producers, while doing nothing to lower grocery store prices". Trump responded by assuring farmers that he was helping them in other ways, noting tariffs that are limiting imports from Brazil. "It would be nice if they would understand that, but they also have to get their prices down, because the consumer is a very big factor in my thinking, also," Trump wrote. But that has failed to quell the furore. Justin Tupper, president of the US Cattlemen's Association, said he thought that only the big four meat packers would benefit from Trump's import plan. "I don't see that lowering prices here at all," Mr Tupper said.
