After several years of losing money on cattle, Burleen and Pete Wobeter thought this would finally be the year things turned around. Their Iowa farm also grows corn and soybeans — crops that have been hit hard by the trade war with China — but cattle had been a bright spot so far in 2025.

"This year, it is the one thing that is going to make any money for us," Burleen said.

That's why they were astounded when President Trump announced he wanted to quadruple beef imports from Argentina, claiming it would "bring our beef prices down" and help "a very good ally."

His words sent wholesale cattle prices plummeting.

"I thought the whole point of tariffs was to bring production back home, and now he is trying to do something to destroy that production," Burleen said, adding, " It feel

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