WFBF Statement on Beef Imports

"President Trump's announcement last week to import more beef products and sell them substantially below market value is deeply concerning. Wisconsin beef and dairy farmers deserve better but so does all U.S. consumers.

Agriculture is facing a downturn unlike anything seen in decades. Wisconsin's beef and dairy farmers are working hard to remain viable, provide high-quality food for consumers and support rural communities across our state.

Government intervention in markets rarely produces the desired long-term results. Price manipulation is un-American when it is done by the government, regardless of the intention behind it. Markets work best when producers and consumers, not government policy, are allowed to respond to supply, demand and price signals. We should be looking for ways to strengthen American agriculture and expand domestic production rather than artificially manipulating prices.

A nation that cannot feed itself has no security and that's something everyone needs to be deeply concerned about. Wisconsin Farm Bureau calls on the President and his administration to reconsider this approach and work with American agriculture to strengthen our domestic food system."