Tariffs and Mexico import ban

[SJUfeller]

There are a few topics that could significantly effect the beef industry in the coming months/years:

* Tariffs on beef grown outside the U.S.
* Changes in "Country of Origin" labeling requirements.
* Current ban on imports of live cattle from Mexico (due to a particular health problem with some cattle in southern Mexico).

These items are important to people on the production, distribution, and sales side of the industry. However, given the impact on beef prices, they could also play a role in consumer purchasing decisions, I thought that this forum would be an interesting place to ask a few questions:

1. Does Country of Origin matter to you when you? In other words, would you be more likely to buy beef if you knew it was raised in the U.S. vs Mexico vs. Canada vs Australia vs China, etc.

2. If your answer to #1 was "yes", how significant is it? For example, would you pay 10% more for beef that you knew was raised in the U.S.?

3. Have you heard anything about the import on Mexican cattle? (I think it is a relatively significant issue, but it is getting very little press . . . so I am just curious as to whether many consumers are even aware of the ban.)

Thanks for any feed back!

[Finster]

1. I've purchased Australian beef in the past. Not sure about Canada or Mexico or China.
Would not purchase from China if I knew that was it's origin.
2. N/A
3. I have no knowledge of Mexican imports in regard to cattle.

I do believe that country of origin labeling should be required. Consumers should have as much info as possible about the source of their food so as to be able to make as informed purchasing decisions as possible.... my.02

[PGH_RAM]

1) When it comes to beef, I prefer to buy US products. I will occasionally buy inspected Argentinian or Brazilian beef if it's a good deal on an expensive cut. Country of origin should be required labelling.

2) I don't want to pay more for big-processor US beef than I'm paying now, though, and with 25% tariffs in place US beef producers will basically have free reign to raise prices because they can. That having been said, I will pay extra for locally produced beef from a trustworthy family farm. (Once a year I buy a share of a steer from a farm in Butler County. They haven't raised their prices in two years because their production costs haven't gone up.)

3) I never heard of the ban.

[Huskee]

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Please let's keep this conversation in the bookends of the questions the OP asked only, and let's not veer into political talk.

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[CaptainMike]

Total buzz-kill, man.

[jfmorris]

1. Does Country of Origin matter to you when you?

I think I prefer US, or have. It's not really something I would have thought of before the mad cow scare a couple of decades ago. Now I *think* US beef is preferable, but am intrigued when I see local sales on Argentine beef and other internationally sourced meats.

2. If your answer to #1 was "yes", how significant is it? For example, would you pay 10% more for beef that you knew was raised in the U.S.?

Yes, within reason. 10%? Sure. 50% more? Probably not, unless I thought the other meat was unsafe.

3. Have you heard anything about the import on Mexican cattle? (I think it is a relatively significant issue, but it is getting very little press . . . so I am just curious as to whether many consumers are even aware of the ban.)

I have not heard of a ban. The only thing I recall reading this year about Mexican beef involved how most of it was only grass fed.

[Duanessmokedmeats]

Country of origin- Yes
10-15% more have done it.
The caravans are already being turned around, so not to worried about tariffs.
If tariffs is what it takes to keep us safe, then bring them on!

[bmillin]

Tariff math is somewhat confusing. I wonder what is paid along the supply chain and where the tariff kicks in. Here’s my SWAG.

I don’t think a $10 item becomes a $12.50 item. This is a rough take on the process -

• The farm - for breeding, raising, feeding and ensuring the health of the cattle
• Processing and distribution - including slaughter, processing, packaging and staging for transport
• Retail - as in grocery stores, butcher shops, online retailers, restaurants and more

I’m not sure how the beef is processed before import. Does it come in as a side or primal cuts? When is it graded, before or after import?

Some sources I read say beef is around $2-$3 lb at import. Wouldn’t the tariff be charged on that price? If so the increased cost is around $.63 per lb.

I could be way off here.

[tstalafuse]

Tariffs on commodities are harder to calculate than on a computer/laptop/phone.. During Covid, prices skyrocketed, but it didn't have anything to do with where it was sourced or if supply was limited (it wasn't). Domestic ranchers received little to no price bump, but the corporate processors sure did.

As far as tariffs on other things, there are a couple of factors in play. Supply/demand and domestically produced alternatives. The only certainty is poop rolls down hill and we are at the bottom

[Spinaker]

Being that I service the meat packing industry and have toured many plants, I will say the country of origin does matter to me. I try to only buy beef that is produced in the US. (Part of that is to support US Ag)

2) I would happily pay 10% more for beef produced in the US. If I thought it would help our domestic producers.

3) Being that imported live cattle is a pretty small portion of our production (even at peak times of the year) It does not concern me too much. However, it will affect pricing going forward. Screwworm is a real concern and we don't wanna have to fight that battle again.

When dealing with the every day consumer, Very few people know or understand why the USDA imposed bans like this. Nor do they really care, to be honest. They are just more cornered with prices in the aisles, which is understanable

[Oak Smoke]

#1 Yes , I only use US beef now. At one point years ago I found a supply of good Mexican ribeye loins at a real price reduction. That supply lasted only a couple of years and when it dried up I went back to US beef. 75% of what we eat was raised by our family.
#2 Yes I would.
#3 The USDA has done an incredible job of dealing with threats to the health of the American herds. We are so fortunate that things like BSE, hoof and mouth, and screw worms are so well controlled or completely nonexistent. I support any ban on importation and they think is necessary.

[au4stree]

Keeping my answers within the confines of OP's questions:

1. YES! I absolutely prefer to buy my food from US producers. I try to support local when/where I can.
2. I will pay 10% more if I know that I'm supporting a local family/producer/farm. I'm not sure what my tolerance would be but I imagine I'd pause if it was 50% or more increase.
3. I had no idea there was a ban. I buy very little of my beef from big box-type stores. I tend to buy from mail order or my local butcher who supports our community folks. I have noticed a difference in value.

Edited to add: It is hard for us to get some specialty cuts, like tri-tip here in Bama, so I tend to order those.

[Jerod Broussard]

The ban on beef imports is heading off something big time. In others words, this is not something at our border with Mexico, this was at the border with Guatemala. I guess they really don't want to screw around with another screwworm fly. From Beef Magazine: "In the last two years the screwworm has spread from Colombia throughout Panama and into Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala—and now Mexico. USDA responded by immediately closing the U.S./Mexico border to all movement of northbound live cattle.

Once they get an idea of infection rates and what not I'm sure they will open back up with specific safety measures in place.

[Bkhuna]

I would prefer US raised livestock but I'm not against others as long as I'm not putting money into a country that we might be at war with anytime soon.

[Draznnl]

From the OP:

1. Does Country of Origin matter to you when you? In other words, would you be more likely to buy beef if you knew it was raised in the U.S. vs Mexico vs. Canada vs Australia vs China, etc.

2. If your answer to #1 was "yes", how significant is it? For example, would you pay 10% more for beef that you knew was raised in the U.S.?

3. Have you heard anything about the import on Mexican cattle? (I think it is a relatively significant issue, but it is getting very little press . . . so I am just curious as to whether many consumers are even aware of the ban.)


1. Yes. I prefer to buy U.S. origin, but I have purchased Canadian, Argentinian, Brazilian, and Australian beef when domestic meat wasn’t available or was too expensive.

2. “Too expensive” varies depending on the cut, the event, and my mood.

3. Your post was the first I’ve heard of it.

[acorgihouse]

I don't eat as much meat, especially red meat, as I used to. I prefer US, local if possible, and I've already decided to touch base with some local farms I used to patronize. Fish, OTOH, I am very picky about, although you didn't ask (forgive me.) US wild caught fish is my norm, and US poultry (touching back base with a couple local farms there too.) No idea where this is going, but I'll eat. I'm already a crazy label reader, don't see that changing.

[fzxdoc]

Shrimp country of origin is my #1 look-see when I'm in the market for that shellfish. Nothing outside of US and even then I get picky.

K.

[JCBBQ]

To my knowledge I’ve only bought US meat except we now have an Argentinian butcher that, as of a year or two ago, can now import meat from Argentina and Uruguay. I buy their flap meat from time to time and it’s spectacular. Country of origin matters in that I would NEVER buy anything from China…which is really difficult these days. So much comes from there. I would definitely pay (and have regularly) 10% more for American products - I’m not just talking food here.

Not really related but I listed to a podcast w Dr Mark Hyman where he discusses food production and the medical world in the USA and it’s pretty shocking. The rates of obesity, disease and death have skyrocketed in the last 40 years bc our food system is so badly broken. I suspect this will become a big issue in the next 4 years if RFK jr gets confirmed.

[acorgihouse]

it is already a problem, given relaxing of FDA production standards in ?~2019ish? Can only get worse, I think.