Katie Britt

President Donald Trump is getting criticism from a key Republican supporter after an announcement that he would suspend tariffs on the import of foreign beef.

Lawmakers from agricultural states, including Alabama Sen. Katie Britt, and key cattle and farm groups said the decision would hurt American farmers.

Britt told AL.com Sunday she “appreciate[s] the administration’s efforts” but urged Trump to reconsider.

“I have heard directly from Alabamians about this policy shift, and I share their deep concerns,” Britt said.

In a surprise announcement Friday, Trump posted that for the next 90 days, the United States will allow 300,000 metric tons of ground beef to be imported into the country, by companies that have committed to selling them below current market prices.

“Today, I concluded a deal to substantially lower the price of ground beef for working American families,” Trump wrote in a post to Truth Social.

“This deal will reduce prices for Americans while giving space for our Great American Beef Herd to grow again.”

Trump did not say which countries he had reached a deal with on the suspended tariffs or which companies had committed to lower prices.

In July 2026, the average price of a pound of ground beef sold in the United States was $6.89, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The announcement drew immediate criticism from the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and several GOP officials who typically support the administration.

Britt said the decision risks hurting local farmers.

“Importing more foreign beef comes at the expense of our cattlemen, who are critical to both affordable and sustainable food supplies,” she told AL.com.

“I appreciate the administration’s efforts to make life more affordable for hardworking Americans; however, we must do so in a way that supports our cattlemen here at home and strengthens domestic food security. I ask the administration to reconsider its approach to achieve those goals.”

Montana Senator Tim Sheehy wrote on social media that he had “advised President Trump against this course of action for a year.”

America’s domestic cattle herds are the smallest size since the 1950s, according to recent reporting.

Farmers say they are being pressured by droughts and low margins.

Former Sen. Doug Jones, the Democratic nominee for governor of Alabama, scorned Trump’s decision Sunday in a joint statement with former Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries Ron Sparks, who is running for the position again this year.

“Donald Trump promised to bring prices down. Instead, he’s trying to do it on the backs of American and Alabama farmers,” Jones said.

“Alabama cattlemen are already getting crushed by the cost of fertilizer, diesel, equipment and everything else it takes to stay in business. Flooding the market with tariff-free foreign beef isn’t a serious plan to lower costs. It’s another Washington decision that leaves Alabama farmers holding the bag.”

Sparks agreed that the move only puts more pressure on struggling Alabama farmers.

“How much more can our farmers take?” Sparks said.

“Fertilizer costs more. Diesel costs more. Equipment costs more. Farmers are getting squeezed from every direction, and now Washington wants them competing against hundreds of thousands of metric tons of tariff-free foreign beef. We are losing farmers in Alabama, and every time we lose one, we lose a piece of our economy, our communities and our way of life.”

Alabama Cattlemen’s Association Chief Executive Officer Erin Beasley wrote in a statement Friday that the decision was “extremely disappointing” and had immediate market consequences.

“This decision has consequences for our industry starting with the immediate reactions we have seen today in the live cattle market,” Beasley wrote.

“Since the announcement, the market has taken a sharp decline, which affects the bottom line for cattlemen in Alabama.”

Beasley noted that August is a heavy marketing month for Alabama feeder calves and said market volatility impacts producers’ bottom lines.

She argued that flooding the market with subsidized foreign beef discourages cattlemen from investing in their operations and slows herd rebuilding.

“This Administration needs to focus on policies that will encourage herd expansion and lower the input costs that have burdened the industry for some time,” Beasley wrote.

“Market manipulation will never be the answer, and today’s announcement is another slap in the face for cattlemen everywhere, especially the more than 10,000 members in our organization.”

Efforts to reach U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., for comment were not immediately successful.