Which U.S. States Lead in Beef Exports?

The Trump administration’s initiative to increase beef imports from Argentina is stirring concern among U.S. farmers and ranchers.

President Trump, addressing the issue of escalating meat prices, revealed to reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday that the U.S. might start importing more beef from Argentina.

Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates that the average price for a pound of ground beef surpassed $6.31 in August, marking an increase of over 77 cents since January and a rise of 74 cents compared to August 2024.

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association expressed opposition to Trump’s proposal on Wednesday. The group argued that increasing Argentine beef imports would undermine American ranchers by artificially adjusting market prices.

“America’s cattlemen and women operate in one of the most competitive marketplaces in the world,” the association stated on the social platform X. “U.S. cattle producers are proud to provide the safest, highest-quality beef on earth.”

On Wednesday, the White House confirmed plans to quadruple the tariff-rate quota for beef imports from Argentina. The Agriculture Department (USDA) also announced an action plan to protect domestic beef producers.

The plan will affect domestic ranchers around the country, with the impact heightened in certain states. The state that will perhaps see the largest impact? Nebraska. 

According the Nebraska Farm Bureau, the state exported over $1.86 billion worth of beef in 2022, the most in the country. That accounted for nearly 16 percent of the country’s beef exports. Nebraska Sen. Deb Fischer (R), a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, said Tuesday she has “deep concerns” over the administration’s plan.

Beyond Nebraska, other big beef exporters include Kansas ($1.4 billion for beef and veal in 2023), Texas ($1.3 billion) and Iowa ($721 million).

Texas is also the state with the highest inventory of cattle and calves, with 12.2 million head as of the start of this year, according to the Agriculture Department. Other significant cattle producers include Oklahoma, at 4.6 million head, Missouri, at 3.95 million head, South Dakota, at 3.55 million head, and Iowa, at 3.5 million head. As of July, the total U.S. cattle inventory stood at more than 94 million head.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, a South Dakota Republican, told Semafor on Wednesday that the administration’s proposal “isn’t the way to do it.”

“It’s created a lot of uncertainty in that market,” Thune said. “So I’m hoping that the White House has gotten the message.”