Ranchers push back on tariff exemption for Brazilian beef
Ranchers push back on tariff exemption for Brazilian beef
Published 7:00 am Wednesday, July 15, 2026
Groups say move undermines impact of tariffs
Cattlemen’s groups are asking the Trump administration to change course and put a 25% tariff on Brazilian beef, citing a trade probe that found illegal logging in Brazil hurts U.S. ranchers.
Most forests cut unlawfully in Brazil are cleared for cattle grazing, according to an investigation by the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. The illegally raised cattle undercut U.S. producers, investigators said.
Nevertheless, the trade office is proposing to exempt beef from Section 301 tariffs that President Trump may impose on Brazilian goods in response to allegations of unfair trade practices.
The exemption would be in line with other administration actions to encourage beef imports in an attempt to lower retail meat prices.
Cattlemen’s groups argue increasing imports hasn’t lowered prices and that exempting Brazilian beef from tariffs would contradict the administration’s own investigation.
“Exempting beef would damage the credibility of the U.S. trade representative’s effort to resolve illegal deforestation,” R-CALF CEO Bill Bullard said.
The U.S. started the investigation into Brazil’s trade practices a year ago. The trade office accuses Brazil of censoring U.S. social media platforms, discriminating against U.S. ethanol producers and failing to stop illegal deforestation.
Brazilian ranchers allegedly “launder” cattle raised on illegally cleared land at legitimate slaughterhouses. When the beef enters global markets, U.S. ranchers lose sales, the report said.
“We’re talking about a whole industry that depends on converting protected forest into cheap pasture and then feeding that into export supply chains,” U.S. Cattlemen’s Association policy director Jenna Stanton said at a trade office hearing July 6 in Washington, D.C.
“Every box of Brazilian beef that enters this country produced on illegally cleared land tells U.S. cattle producers that their investment in conservation and in compliance with our laws doesn’t matter,” she said.
At the same hearing, Brazilian Confederation of Agriculture and Livestock deputy director Fernanda Maceio Carneiro said the allegation was false.
“Our competitiveness has been built through investment in research, science, technology, innovation and productive efficiency, not through the illegal conversion of forests,” she said.
Besides beef, the U.S. trade office proposes exempting hundreds of other Brazilian products, including farm goods not grown in the U.S. or in short supply.
Brazil sold $1.7 billion worth of beef to the U.S. in 2025. Its fresh beef exports to the U.S. are running 10% ahead of last year’s pace, according to the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service. Overall, fresh beef imports are up 11% so far this year.
“The reason we don’t have enough beef produced domestically is because we’ve allowed domestic beef to be displaced by imports. The solution can’t be doing more of the same and importing more beef,” Bullard said.
The Meat Import Council of America said imposing tariffs on Brazilian beef would cost consumers. The council asked trade officials to also exempt gelatin, collagen and beef casings.