Trump's tariff pause angers US ranchers and lifts Brazilian beef imports

Pause on beef tariffs

90 days

In late August, Trump announced a 90-day pause on certain beef tariffs to make imports cheaper, especially from Brazil. Cattle auction prices fell right away.

The United States Cattlemen's Association, the National Cattlemen's Beef Association and the Farm Bureau opposed the move. Economist David Anderson says it "works against the market signal to expand" domestic production.

Why it matters

The US cattle herd is near its smallest since 1951, and it is unclear how ranchers will vote in the midterms.