Brazil has soared ahead in beef imports into the United States this year, while other countries scaled back amidst ongoing federal trade and tariff negotiations.
Brazil has become a major importer of beef and veal products into the United States since 2020, benefiting from a declining U.S. herd and its increased political influence from the country’s largest beef processor.
In January, Brazil shipped a record 197 million pounds of beef to the United States — the highest single-month total from any country in over three decades, since the USDA began tracking imports.
The country increased the pounds imported into the U.S. 26 times over, from 7 million pounds in January 2020.
In July, President Trump announced a 50% tariff on Brazil, a move the nation’s beef industry warned would stall incoming beef supply.
JBS, the world’s largest meat company, headquartered in São Paulo, Brazil, just this year became a publicly traded company on the U.S. Stock Exchange, while also donating $5 million to Trump’s inauguration party.
The company has a sordid history of bribing federal officials and its herd practices are linked to deforestation in Brazil. JBS became a major player in the U.S. when it acquired domestic beef packing plants in 2007.
Brazilian beef has flooded U.S. markets while the nation’s own beef supply has stumbled, caused by droughts and the beef herd’s cyclical decline.
Data Harvest (formerly Graphic of the Week) is Investigate Midwest’s way of making complex agricultural data easy to understand. Through engaging graphics, charts, and maps, we break down key trends to help readers quickly grasp the forces shaping farming, food systems, and rural communities. Want us to explore other data trends? Let us know here.
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