President Donald Trump has agreed to boost beef imports from Argentina as part of a sweeping trade deal, despite outrage from his allies in the agriculture industry.
Trump is expected to formalize the deal in an Executive Order on Friday, according to a White House official and three people granted anonymity to discuss the plan. It will more than quadruple the current import quota of beef from the South American country, allowing the U.S. to buy an additional 20,000 metric tons of beef each quarter, as POLITICO first reported the White House was considering in October.
The president’s plan includes some peace offerings to U.S. ranchers, such as new market access for them in Argentina and limits on what kinds of beef can be imported, according to the three people. It also sets an end date on the imports — an apparent effort to tame likely blowback from farm-state Republicans and agriculture industry groups who have criticized such proposals in the past.
“President Trump pledged to ink fairer trade deals while supporting our nation’s agriculture industry,” White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said in a statement. “Promises made, promises kept!”
