Sevier County Farm Bureau member Jason Goble was recently interviewed by Fox 13 News to talk about the impact on beef prices for local ranchers after President Donald Trump floated the idea of increasing beef imports from Argentina. 

"It’s not ideal at this point. We want to be profitable and be sustainable with our operations," Goble said in his interview with Fox 13. Goble also runs the FFA program at North Sevier High School. "Less than 2 percent of our population now are farmers and ranchers. We definitely need people to be in this industry – basically to feed the rest of us."


Earlier in the week, Utah Farm Bureau Federation President ValJay Rigby also commented on the future of America’s beef supply.

“Farm families in Utah are no different from other American families. We feel the impact of higher grocery costs, but don’t get to set the prices. Meanwhile, farmers are suffering through economic storms, as expenses remain high, and cattle farms have been decimated by years of low prices and drought. If expanded imports push farmers deeper into the red, we face the unintended consequence of increasing reliance on other countries for our food and weakening our ability to rebuild a strong American herd.”

In visiting with KSL News, two County Farm Bureau Presidents also shared their thoughts on the impact on our local beef industry. Tooele County Farm Bureau President Brian Johnson wasn't too concerned for now, stating that demand was still strong for U.S. beef. Summit County Farm Bureau President Jeff Young, who is also the president of the Utah Cattleman's Association, shared concerns that many have and his desire to let the free market make corrections where needed.

“Most ranchers I know have been very supportive of the president, very appreciative of a lot of his initiatives,” Young said. “They’re kind of scratching their head over this one. There’s going to be times that [prices] are high and times that [they're] low, but just let the free market function as it does. It’s very efficient at placing product and incentivizing producers.”