Wisconsin cattle producers are raising concerns after the Trump administration announced plans to allow additional imported beef into the United States, arguing the move could undermine efforts to rebuild the nation's cattle herd.
Mary Fronek, a Wisconsin cattle producer and vice president of the Wisconsin Cattlemen's Association, said producers make long-term decisions about herd expansion, feed purchases and facility investments based on expectations for future market conditions.
"I understand firsthand that decisions about retaining heifers, purchasing feed, expanding the herd and investing in facilities are not ones we make for the next month or even the next year," the Langlade County resident said. "We are making those choices based on what we believe the market will look like several years down the road."
With the U.S. cattle herd at historically low levels, Fronek said many producers are prepared to begin rebuilding but need confidence that market signals will support those investments. She warned that lower cattle prices or increased market uncertainty could discourage producers from retaining heifers and expanding operations, potentially slowing efforts to increase domestic beef supplies.
While acknowledging consumer concerns about high grocery prices, Fronek questioned whether increased imports would significantly reduce retail beef costs, noting that prices are influenced by factors throughout the supply chain, including processing, transportation, distribution and retail costs.
"Cattle producers recognize that families are feeling the pressure at the grocery store; we are consumers too. Producers are also facing high input costs and making difficult decisions about feed, forage, herd size, and long-term investments," Fronak said. "From the farm perspective, it is difficult to invest in rebuilding a herd when government policy can suddenly change the market conditions we are basing those decisions on."
She said policymakers should ensure any efforts to provide short-term price relief do not come at the expense of the long-term viability of U.S. cattle production.
"Producers want the opportunity to respond to strong consumer demand by increasing production when it is right for their farm," she said. "We need policies that give us the confidence to do that."
Fronek, who operates a cash crop, commercial vegetable farm with registered Simmental cattle and Texel sheep with her family, said lower cattle prices could make it harder for Wisconsin beef producers to reinvest in their operations and rebuild their herds.
"Producers are currently deciding whether to retain heifers, expand their operations, purchase additional feed, and make other long-term investments," she said. "If producers see reduced returns or greater uncertainty, some may delay expansion plans or choose not to keep additional breeding females."
According to Fronek, those decisions affect not only individual farms but also the future size of the Wisconsin and U.S. cattle herd and the nation's beef supply several years from now.
"Policies should encourage producers to invest and expand rather than create uncertainty that could slow herd rebuilding," Fronek said.
According to President Donald Trump's post on Truth Social on Aug. 21, imported ground beef admitted into the U.S. under a temporary tariff waiver will be sold at 25% below current market prices, a claim that cattle groups and some industry analysts have questioned. Fronek said the Wisconsin Cattlemen's Association did not have enough details about the order to understand how it proposes to reduce ground beef prices at grocery stores.
Fronek says strong consumer demand is driving the current market.
"Americans are choosing beef because they value the quality we're producing," she said.
As someone who raises cattle in Wisconsin, Fronek sees firsthand the connection that many consumers want to have with the farmers who produce their food.
"Wisconsin consumers have an opportunity to support local cattle producers by purchasing beef directly from a Wisconsin farm or the grocery store and simply learning more about where their food comes from," she said. "We understand that consumers have to make decisions based on their household budgets. We do not want to minimize that concern. Our goal is to find ways to provide consumers with affordable, high-quality beef while also maintaining a strong and sustainable domestic cattle industry."
Fronek emphasized that Wisconsin cattle producers understand the public's concerns about the cost of beef.
"As a Wisconsin cattle producer, I want my neighbors and family to be able to afford high-quality beef. But I also want to make sure we have cattle producers here to supply that beef for generations to come," she said.
The Langlade cattle producer and Fox Valley Technical College ag educator says the cattle industry is at a critical point: Producers are ready to rebuild the herd, but that requires confidence, investment and time.
"If we want more American beef, we need to support the people who are actually raising the cattle," she said, adding that producers need the confidence to invest, expand and rebuild the nation's cattle herd.
"From my perspective, this is simply not an issue of imported beef versus domestic beef. It is about making sure Wisconsin cattle producers have a fair opportunity to respond to consumer demand and continue doing what we're doing every day – raising cattle, caring for the land, and providing high-quality beef to American families."
This article originally appeared on Wisconsin State Farmer: Wisconsin cattle producers warn beef imports could slow herd rebuild