Imports and herd sizes vex Utah ranchers

Federal officials recently announced plans to qua­druple the tariff-rate quota on beef imports from Argen­tina, increasing the amount allowed under lower duty from about 20,000 metric tons to 80,000. The move is meant to stabilize U.S. beef prices by allowing more imports, but local ranchers say the issue runs deeper than trade policy.

Livestock grazing in eastern Utah. Photo via Bureau of Land Management.

“The tariffs have very little to do with it,” said Boyd Corry, owner of Kanab Custom Meats. “The beef from Argentina accounts for something like one to two percent of our needs. The issue is that the na­tional herd is too small.”

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the American cattle herd is now at its smallest in more than seventy years, the result of years of drought, high feed costs and consoli­dation in the meatpacking industry. Utah ranchers say those pressures are being felt hardest in rural counties like Kane and Gar­field, where grazing land is limited and transportation costs keep rising.

Much of the region’s challenge stems from a lack of nearby processing facilities. Most beef raised in southern Utah must travel hundreds or even thousands of miles to reach large packing plants, add­ing cost and delay at every step. Without local process­ing capacity, ranchers are left with little control over pricing or distribution.

Even with the expanded import quota, industry ana­lysts say the extra supply will have little effect on re­tail prices or local markets. Instead, the short-term benefit is likely to go to large processors and distributors rather than to ranchers or consumers.

Corry said the best strat­egy for households is to watch for local specials. “Shop the sales,” he said. “If you find a good price, buy it and freeze it.”

For Utah’s ranchers, the real concern is not compe­tition from Argentina but the long-term erosion of the domestic beef supply chain and whether rural produc­ers can stay afloat while the national herd slowly rebuilds.