US Beef Exports Decrease, While Imports Increase Under Trump

Aug 07, 2026

By Juan Vassallo

A shrinking U.S. cattle herd, driven in part by persistent drought and the New World screwworm, has forced the industry to rely more heavily on imported beef to keep up with strong demand.

It’s a trend that’s been building for the past three years. The latest USDA projections show beef imports continuing to rise and exports decline through 2027.

The U.S. will import 6.059 billion pounds of beef by the end of this year, up 12.5% from last year, according to projections.

The increase in imports has angered one of Trump’s most reliable political constituencies: ranchers.

When the Trump administration announced in October 2025 that it will increase beef imports from Argentina — a country whose president, Javier Milei, is an ally of President Trump — rancher groups, including the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and the Ranchers-Cattlemen Action Legal Fund United Stockgrowers of America, criticized the decision.

Click here to see more...

Video: What If Everything You Knew About Feed Inventory Was Wrong?

AI, Agriculture & the Future of Smart Farming with BinSentry CEO Ben Allen. Every day, livestock producers make thousands of dollars' worth of decisions based on one simple question: How much feed is actually left in the bin? For decades, the answer has often been an estimate.

In this episode of AgTech with Andrew, I sit down with Ben Allen, CEO of BinSentry, to explore how artificial intelligence, machine vision and real-time data are transforming one of agriculture's most overlooked challenges—feed and grain inventory management.
We discuss why some of the biggest inefficiencies in livestock production aren't happening in the barn, but throughout the feed supply chain. Ben shares insights from his career leading agricultural technology companies, explains why AI must solve real business problems to earn producer trust, and offers his vision for the connected farm of the future.

In this interview, you'll discover:
Why feed inventory has remained one of agriculture's biggest blind spots
How AI is reducing costly feed outages, waste and unnecessary deliveries
The hidden safety risks of traditional bin inspections
What separates successful ag technologies from those that never gain adoption
How connected farms are changing decision-making for producers, feed mills and integrators
Why real-time inventory may become as important as precision planting and autonomous equipment

Whether you're a livestock producer, grain farmer, feed manufacturer, ag retailer, nutritionist or simply passionate about the future of agriculture, this conversation offers valuable insights into where the industry is headed.