Columbia News

Last week, Congressman Mark Alford of Missouri's 4th District issued a statement following the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) announcement of its “Plan for American Ranchers and Consumers” and the Trump Administration’s separate plan to increase beef imports from Argentina.

“We will always stand with Missouri ranchers and beef producers,” said Congressman Alford. “The announcement from USDA to encourage more domestic beef consumption, develop the next generation of cattle ranchers, and streamline regulations for small processors is a promising step that supports Missouri producers.

“Importing more Argentinian beef undermines those very same producers who we all want to help, distorts markets, and weakens public health. American beef is second to none and we shouldn’t try to replace it with lesser foreign products. I strongly urge the Administration to reconsider this action.

“Taken together, these actions amount to one step forward and two steps back. We must seek market-based solutions to strengthen our food supply chain and lower grocery prices.”

Following these announcements, Congressman Alford visited the MO-KAN Livestock Market in Butler, Missouri, where he met with local producers. During his visit, he listened to concerns about increased beef imports from Argentina, rising beef prices, and ways Congress can support Missouri ranchers while working to lower consumer costs.

Congressman Alford is also leading two bipartisan bills aimed at supporting Missouri beef producers and strengthening the food supply chain. The Amplifying Processing of Livestock in the United States (A-PLUS) Act seeks to expand consumer choice by increasing processing capacity through allowing livestock auction market owners to invest in small and regional packing facilities. This aims to spur competition within the industry. The Fair and Accurate Ingredient Representation (FAIR) Labels Act focuses on increasing transparency in food labeling by ensuring consumers receive accurate information about plant-based and cell-cultured protein products when making purchasing decisions.

Mark Alford has represented Missouri’s 4th District in Congress since 2023 after succeeding Vicky Hartzler. He was born in Baytown, Texas in 1963 and currently resides in Lake Winnebago. He graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1988.