10/09/2026
As a farmer and rancher, I truly do appreciate the outrage. A lot. However, it would be wrong if we didnāt acknowledge the fact that this has always been happening. So are we outraged about the tweet heard around the world in regard to beef? Or are we outraged that we have been thinking that we were consuming American raised beef simply because we live in America?
Trump tweeting about beef didnāt create the global supply system but it certainly drew a lot of attention to it. It brings up many important questions about what we believe we are being marketed versus what we actually are.
Importing beef has been happening for decades but what has changed is the volume. & that change didnāt happen overnight. & that absolutely deserves a conversation.
U.S. beef imports have increased substantially in the last decade. USDA data shows imports went from about 3.0 billion pounds in 2017ā2019, to 3.7 billion in 2023, 4.6 billion in 2024, and a record 5.47 billion pounds in 2025. The upward trend is alarming but not all that surprising when you look at the downward trend in cattle herds in America. This is one of the many reasons why knowing your farmer matters.
When you buy beef directly from us, you donāt have to wonder itās country of origin. You know the people who raised it. You can ask us questions and get answers directly from the people responsible for putting that food on your table.
We sell direct not because every imported product is automatically bad or because weāre trying to scare you into buying from us but because we believe you deserve to know the story behind your food.
And hereās what I really want people to think aboutā¦maybe we shouldnāt be relying on the government to fix our food system.
We collectively need to be asking questions. Paying attention to labels. Building relationships with the farmers in our own communities.
Every time you choose to buy directly from a local farmer, youāre doing more than buying a product. Youāre investing in your local food supply & helping keep American agriculture alive.
We can argue about policies, tariffs, politicians, and imports all day long but you have more power over where your food dollars go than you might realize.