US Imports of Brazilian Beef Surged in First Quarter

Progressive Farmer’s Chris Clayton reported that “Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins stood with the acting Attorney General on Monday denouncing Brazilian packer ownership for being ‘affiliated with corruption, but also cartels and as recently as last week, slave labor.'”

“She added all of that was ‘bad enough on its own, but it’s also to the detriment of America’s great independent ranchers and consumers,'” Clayton reported. “Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche made it clear the Trump administration is investigating the meatpacking industry for potential anti-competitive behavior. Brazil is already under multiple ‘Section 301’ investigations by the U.S. Trade Representative for potential trade violations in cases going back to last summer.”

“In the meantime, Brazilian beef exports to the U.S. are booming, according to monthly USDA trade data released Tuesday,” Clayton reported. “Brazilian meat packers shipped $795 million in beef to the U.S. in the first three months of this year, up 21% from a year ago. Last year marked a record for Brazilian beef shipments to the U.S., topping $1.75 billion, up 39% from 2024.”

“With U.S. consumer demand for beef at a high level, beef imports in total are exploding at $4.5 billion through March, up 28% from a year ago. That comes after record beef imports at $13.75 billion in 2025, up nearly $2.5 billion from a year earlier,” Clayton reported. “In comparison, U.S. packers last year exported $9.3 billion in beef, down nearly 11% from 2024. So far, the dollar value of U.S. beef exports is down 13% for the first quarter of 2026.”

Clayton reported later in the article that “it’s unclear what happens next with the USTR trade cases involving Brazil. Rollins also declined to answer directly whether the Trump administration should break up foreign meatpackers and force Brazilian companies to divest. Rollins said, “The goal is to preserve a way of life of rural America, to ensure our food security is absolute, that the importance of being able to feed ourselves in this country and not to rely on other countries again, it’s absolute.'”

Brazil Beef Industry Seeks Removal of U.S. Import Quotas

Valor International’s Clarice Couto and Danton Boatini Júnior reported that “Brazil’s beef industry is calling on President Lula to include a revision of U.S. import quotas for Brazilian beef in talks with President Donald Trump during this week’s visit.”

“The request comes from the Brazilian Association of Meat Exporting Industries (ABIEC), which argues that current quota arrangements limit Brazil’s access to the U.S. market,” Couto and Boatini Júnior reported. “Under the existing system, Brazil shares a tariff-rate quota with other countries, allowing shipments of about 50,000 tonnes of beef at a reduced tariff. Exports beyond that threshold face a 26.4% duty, according to ABIEC.”

“With U.S. cattle supplies constrained, imports of Brazilian beef have been rising—even outside the quota. The 50,000-tonne quota was fully utilized in the first month of the year, said ABIEC President Roberto Perosa,” according to Couto and Boatini Júnior’s reporting. “Exporters are seeking either a dedicated quota for Brazil or an expansion of the current allowance, Perosa said. He argued that increasing access would benefit both countries, as U.S. beef prices remain elevated while Brazil has the capacity to meet U.S. demand.”

Brazil Nears China Beef Quota, Which Could Redirect More Exports to US

Bloomberg’s Dayanne Sousa reported that “the world’s top beef exporter Brazil is close to reaching its annual quota for shipments to its biggest buyer China, a situation that’s set to redraw trade flows at a time when global consumers are facing higher meat prices.”

“China sought to protect its domestic farmers and producers at the start of 2026 by imposing beef import quotas. That’s spurred Brazilian meatpackers to rush goods to the Asian nation’s ports, and the limit is now looking to be met before the year is half over, according to analysts and industry data,” Sousa reported. “With a 55% tariff on any additional volumes, the looming quota fulfillment will likely bring Brazil’s trade with China to a halt. The scenario has presented a challenge for Brazil’s meat industry, with expectations for a slowdown in slaughtering.”

“It may be good news for consumers outside of China, however, as meatpackers seek other markets. That could boost supplies and potentially ease prices that have surged to record highs amid strong demand and limited supply,” Sousa reported. “Shipments from Brazil to the U.S. will be key. Demand has been strong on the back of a massive cattle shortage and elevated beef prices in North America.“