WASHINGTON – National Farmers Union (NFU) President Rob Larew today released the following statement in response to USDA’s newly announced plan to support beef producers and the broader challenges facing family farmers and ranchers.
“Family agriculture is in crisis, and American farmers and ranchers are fighting for their livelihoods. For months, they’ve been told there’s nothing policymakers can do—while farm aid is delayed, trade negotiations are canceled and progress on the farm bill has stalled. Yet even during the government shutdown, this administration found a way to send taxpayer aid to another country, undercutting American producers in the process.
“This is not just about Argentina or imported beef—it’s about priorities. Decisions like these send a message to every cattle producer, family farmer and consumer in America about whose side Washington is really on.
“Farm families are under immense strain from rising costs, depressed markets, and uncertainty at every turn. These challenges are not new, but the ongoing government shutdown has only deepened them. It has delayed the support that farmers, rural communities and hungry Americans need—and it’s jeopardizing the health coverage families count on to stay safe and healthy.
“We need help across rural America—both now and for the long run. That means immediate relief, paired with long-term policies that restore fairness, stability and opportunity across rural America.
“We appreciate USDA’s recently announced plans to support American cattle ranchers and efforts to reopen some services, but they still fall short of addressing the larger, systemic issues facing farm country. Real support means rebuilding cattle herds and enacting mandatory country-of-origin labeling to meet domestic beef demand, restoring competition and strengthening antitrust laws throughout the agriculture sector, implementing a forward-looking vision that expands domestic markets for crops, and creating a fair marketplace that works for farmers and consumers alike.
“American farmers and ranchers should not be asked to wait while others are given a leg up.”
