Beef import order helps consumers but hurts farmers, Screven County rancher says

SYLVANIA, Ga. (WTOC) - A Screven County cattle producer says President Donald Trump’s executive order to import 300,000 metric tons of beef is already hurting his bottom line, and he worries it could push more farmers out of business.

Trump says the U.S. will allow up to 300,000 metric tons of beef to be imported over the next three months without the usual out-of-quota tariffs. He says that beef will sell at 25% below current market prices.

The White House says Trump will formally sign the executive order within the next two weeks.

Lindy Sheppard, who raises cattle in Screven County, says the price he’s paid for his cattle has already dropped 15% in the last month.

“I was disappointed,” Sheppard said. “The prices are high, but it costs a lot to produce, and they’re gonna have to make a profit to stay in business.”

The president says the move is meant to lower grocery prices for consumers while giving the U.S. cattle herd room to grow. He has not said which countries or companies are involved in the deal.

Sheppard says the drop has already cost him an estimated $50,000.

“What you lose is your profit,” Sheppard said. “You still have to pay your feed bill. That’s who’s the real loser, because you still have to pay your bills if you’re going to stay in business.”

Sheppard isn’t alone in criticizing the move. Some Republican lawmakers and the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association have also pushed back, saying the import order could hurt ranchers instead of helping rebuild the U.S. cattle herd.

Sheppard says the financial strain doesn’t stop with cattle producers, he says it ripples through the entire local economy, from feed stores to fertilizer dealers to equipment shops.

“These people are really struggling, we need them,” Sheppard said. “It’s just going to take money to do it, and a plan. A failure to plan is a plan to fail.”

Sheppard says he wants federal lawmakers to invest in domestic beef production rather than rely on imports, warning that without that support, more producers and processing plants could disappear.

He also says the cattle industry is aging — he estimates the average cattle farmer today is nearly 60 years old — and without policies that make the business more profitable, he worries there won’t be a next generation ready to take over.

To support local cattle producers, consumers can look for beef labeled “Product of USA” or check with local farmers markets and butchers about sourcing Georgia-raised beef.