By Jamie Martin
Recently, R-CALF USA CEO Bill Bullard and sheep industry advocate Carson Jorgensen met with White House officials to present a revitalization strategy for the declining U.S. cattle and sheep industries.
The goal was to clearly demonstrate how decades of failed policy marked by unchecked globalization and industry consolidation have eroded competitive structures, damaged rural economies, and increased national security risks.
The duo shared a handout outlining how global imports and concentrated market power have severely weakened key components of the livestock sector, including herd size, feedlots, and marketing opportunities.
These changes, they explained, are leading to the hollowing out of rural America and increased dependence on foreign food sources posing a significant national security threat.
Citing data, they showed the U.S. beef and cattle import dependency rose from 11% in 1980 to 22% by 2024. In the sheep industry, the situation is even more alarming: imports climbed from under 10% to 73% over the same period.
Their proposal includes a phased-in tariff rate quota system to reduce lamb and mutton imports, allowing domestic sheep producers to regain at least 50% of the U.S. market without affecting consumption.
For cattle, a similar system would limit beef and live cattle imports, giving U.S. ranchers the opportunity to rebuild herds and reclaim up to 90% of the market.
The plan also recommends applying tariffs on imports up to the quota limits, high enough to counter the pricing advantages foreign producers enjoy such as those stemming from currency imbalances.
Bullard and Jorgensen emphasized that importing live calves reduces incentives for U.S. producers to grow domestic herds. Flooding the market with cheaper imports, they argued, drives down domestic prices and undermines incentives to expand production deepening reliance on foreign sources.
Their proposals align with former administration economic goals of increasing domestic production. In addition to tariffs and quotas, they called for mandatory country-of-origin labeling (MCOOL) for beef, giving U.S. consumers the power to choose domestically produced products.
Finally, they advocated for three additional reforms: banning unpriced cattle contracts, repealing the beef checkoff program, and ending mandatory electronic eartags measures they say will restore market fairness and protect producers’ rights.
Photo Credit: r-calf-usa
Categories: National