ONLY ON 8: Political Analyst Steve Flowers discusses opposition to President Trump’s plan to lower ground beef prices
ONLY ON 8 (WAKA) – Action 8 Political Analyst Steve Flowers explains why U.S. Sen. Katie Britt (R-Alabama) and the Alabama Cattlemen’s Association are opposed to President Trump’s plan to lower ground beef prices for grocery shoppers.
President Trump plans to waive higher tariffs on ground beef coming from other countries. He says the U.S. will allow up to 300,000 tons of ground beef to be imported over the next 90 days. Trump says the imported beef will be sold at 25% below current market prices.
As of July, ground beef is selling for about $6.89 a pound, which is up 57% from 2021. Prices have been going up for decades, due to growing demand and smaller cattle herds.
The Alabama Cattlemen’s Association, which has more than 10,000 members, is one group that doesn’t like his plan.
Its CEO Erin Beasley says in part, “Since the announcement, the market has taken a sharp decline, which affects the bottom line for cattlemen in Alabama. This Administration needs to focus on policies that will encourage herd expansion and lower the input costs that have burdened the industry for some time. Market manipulation will never be the answer.”
U.S. Sen. Katie Britt is among Republicans in Washington who also don’t like the president’s plan.
Speaking to AL.com, she said in part, “Importing more foreign beef comes at the expense of our cattlemen, who are critical to both affordable and sustainable food supplies. I appreciate the administration’s efforts to make life more affordable for hardworking Americans; however, we must do so in a way that supports our cattlemen here at home and strengthens domestic food security. I ask the administration to reconsider its approach to achieve those goals.”
Action 8’s Glenn Halbrooks asked Steve Flowers if Britt is putting herself at political risk by gently criticizing the president. Flowers said no, because Britt’s first task is to protect the interests of people in her state, including Alabama’s large cattle industry. He says he doesn’t believe the Trump administration will feel threatened.
Flowers says Republicans are “behind the 8-ball” in trying to keep control of the U.S. House of Representatives in the November mid-term elections. He says historically, a president’s political party loses seats in the House, sometimes dozens, in the mid-term elections. He says one reason Trump won the White House was because of pocketbook issues, including food and gas prices. Flowers says Trump has to do something to get those prices down before November.
Watch the video above to hear more from Action 8 Political Analyst Steve Flowers.
