USA Opens Door to More Argentine Beef as Prices Surge
USA Increases Argentine Beef Quota to Tackle Rising Prices
The United States has moved to ease pressure on its domestic beef market by temporarily increasing imports of Argentine beef, as record-low cattle numbers push ground beef prices sharply higher.
In a proclamation issued by The White House, the US President approved an additional 80,000 metric tonnes per year of tariff-rate quota access for lean beef trimmings from Argentina. The measure is designed to support burger and manufacturing beef supplies, where shortages have been most acute.
US cattle inventories are currently at their lowest levels in decades following prolonged drought, wildfire losses and herd liquidation. The situation has been compounded by reduced imports from Mexico, further tightening supplies of lean grinding beef used across retail and foodservice.
According to the White House fact sheet, the quota increase is intended to stabilise consumer prices while maintaining existing food safety and import standards. Officials stressed that the move is temporary and targeted, rather than a broader liberalisation of beef imports.
Market analysts say the decision highlights the growing structural imbalance in the US beef sector, where declining domestic production is increasingly colliding with resilient consumer demand. The additional Argentine supply is expected to flow primarily into manufacturing channels, easing pressure on packers and quick-service restaurant operators.
For global exporters, the move reinforces Argentina’s strategic role in supplying lean beef to the US market at a time when alternative sources are constrained and global beef trade flows are being reshaped.
Source: The White House | 6 February 2026
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