Farming is a big part of everyday life in Clinton County, including at Reese Farms. With beef prices soaring to record levels, President Trump is floating the idea of importing more beef from Argentina, which could impact local cattle farmers.
- Beef prices have risen nearly 14% this year, according to August federal government data.
- President Trump has supported increasing beef imports from Argentina to address record prices.
- Local cattle farmer Robert Reese says production costs have forced him to raise prices for consumers.
WATCH: Clinton County farmer reacts to potential beef import increases
Local cattle farmers are watching closely as discussions about increasing beef imports continue.
"Supply is down, demand is up. Americans do love eating meat," Robert Reese said.
I spoke with Reese, a Clinton County cattle farmer, about what increasing those imports could mean for his business.
When asked how potential imports might affect his farm, Reese expressed uncertainty.
"I'm not sure yet," Reese said. "Usually, we bring animals in every month. We might pause to see where this goes. But the last almost two plus years, prices are nothing but up."
Reese Farms sells most of its beef directly to consumers. With production costs increasing, Reese has had to raise prices for buyers. Currently, a pound of ground beef from Reese Farms costs $7.50.
"These animals that used to be $100 to buy are now $1,300. So our prices are just through the roof. Just like everything else we touch is twice as much, the cattle does keep going up as well," Reese said.
As beef prices continue to soar, local farmers like Reese are feeling the pressure from potential policy changes that could affect their livelihoods.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
Want more FOX 47 News? Here's how you download our Roku app
You can also see the latest news from across our mid-Michigan neighborhoods by liking us on Facebook or following us on X.
