Jim Richardson’s weekly trips to sell beef at the Battle Creek and Sunset Valley farmers markets in Austin, Texas have dipped in revenue. Local restaurants also aren’t buying much of his hormone- and antibiotic-free beef. He’s had to double his prices because of rising costs for processing, fuel, labeling, packaging, labor and electricity.
Now Richardson, a 77-year-old rancher based in Georgetown, Texas, with about a 100-head cattle herd, is facing another pain point: President Donald Trump’s announcement that the United States will import 300,000 metric tons of tariff-free beef in an attempt to lower costs for consumers.
“This deal will reduce prices for Americans while giving space for our Great American Beef Herd to grow again,” Trump said, promising the imported beef will cost 25% less than current prices. Ground beef now hovers around $6.89 a pound on average — some $3 higher than a decade ago.