U.S. CONGRESS News:

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Reps. Teresa Leger Fernández (NM-03), Melanie Stansbury (NM-01), and Gabe Vasquez (NM-02) wrote a letter to U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer in strong opposition to the Trump administration’s reported plans to increase beef imports from Argentina and undercut American ranchers.

In the letter, the lawmakers write that cattle ranching has been at the heart of rural New Mexico’s economy and culture for centuries. They noted that cattle and calves are one of the largest cash commodities for the state, which contributes $1.7 billion to the New Mexico economy each year.

But they warned that, “just as ranchers expected a good year, the Trump administration recklessly announced a plan to increase cheap imports of Argentinian beef by 300 percent.”

The members emphasized that “this plan to flood the market with foreign beef will take money out of the pockets of New Mexico’s ranchers with questionable benefits to consumers.” They added, “Selling out New Mexico’s ranchers is not the way to bring down beef prices at the grocery store. While thousands of New Mexico ranchers work tirelessly just to stay afloat, corporate meatpackers get rich by driving up beef prices for shoppers.”

“The Trump administration could instead take action against consolidation in the meatpacking industry to prevent further price gouging,” they said. “Ranching is not just a job, it’s a way of life in our rural communities. New Mexico’s ranchers deserve a federal government that looks out for them rather than one that gives a handout to foreign producers. As such, we demand that the Trump administration halt and reverse any plans to increase the importation of Argentinian beef.”

A copy of the letter can be found here.

Background

• On Oct. 19, 2025, reports revealed that the Trump administration had agreed to quadruple low-tariff U.S. imports of Argentinian beef in 2026.
• The New Mexico Farm & Livestock Bureau and the New Mexico Cattle Growers Association have publicly opposed the deal, warning it will harm local ranchers and distort markets.
• Beef is among New Mexico’s largest agricultural industries, generating an estimated $1.7 billion annually and supporting thousands of jobs across rural communities.