John Boyd Jr., the president of the National Black Farmers Association, is calling out President Joe Biden — arguing that his policies that are “hurting America’s cattlemen,” citing the ongoing beef supply crisis.
The U.S. now has the smallest head of cattle since the 1970s thanks to Bidenomics, inflation, and high input costs.
Our beef farmers are struggling to keep up and Americans are facing higher prices at the grocery store.https://t.co/RY4u0TUKIS
— Coach Tommy Tuberville (@SenTuberville) February 2, 2024
During a Thursday interview on “Fox & Friends First,” Boyd spoke out about the news that cattle production has hit its lowest levels in decades thanks to Biden’s policies.
“This is a bad situation for America’s cattle farmers and America because we’re producing 1 billion pounds less beef than we were in this country, just a year ago,” the rancher explained.
Boyd, who has been farming and producing beef for 41 years, argued that “this is a time when we should be investing in America’s cattle, and we’re not doing it.”
“We’re not investing in America’s beef and cattle farmers, and Biden policies are hurting America’s cattlemen, such as myself,” he added. “They should be invested in America’s cattle farmers and making sure that we have the tools needed to stay on the farm.”
He then noted that he has personally witnessed the decline in cattle production, pointing to empty stalls at a “very good” cattle market near his home in Blackstone, Virginia, last week. Boyd argued that the shocking situation is happening because American ranchers are “not producing the beef that we used to.”
Boyd also warned that the decline in cattle production will lead to spikes in the price of beef. Data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that beef sold for an average of $5 per pound in 2023.
“Americans are going to pay the price at their local grocery stores,” he said.
“We already are seeing such a steep, hike and beef in this country,” Boyd added. “And it’s because we’re not supporting these cattlemen such as myself… the Biden administration, isn’t paying attention [to] this national crisis. This is a national crisis for America’s cattlemen, and this administration has turned a blind and a deaf ear to something that needs immediate attention.”
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently released its biannual Cattle Inventory Report, which revealed that the United States’ cattle herd is down approximately 2%, declining to 87.2 million head as of Jan. 1, 2024 — the lowest herd size in 73 years.
According to Fox Business, “Agricultural economists say persistent drought over the last three years, along with high input costs and inflation are putting pressure on both consumers and farmers.”
Meanwhile, American Farm Bureau Federation economist Bernt Nelson blamed the decline in cattle production told the Southern Farm Network in a statement that the “combination of higher input prices and drought drove farmers and ranchers to market more cattle, and not just more cattle but more female cattle that are responsible for replacing the beef herd.
Now, we’re looking at a beef herd of about 28.2 million head. Amongst that we have a calf crop that is 33.6 million. Now this is down two percent, but it’s the smallest calf crop since 1948. That’s in 76 years.”
Nelson also warned that, while the current pipeline for beef supplies is “strong,” as the “supply begins to dry up, that’s when we are going to see beef supplies start to get tighter and tighter, and this could lead to the record prices that I think are going to occur in 2024 and 2025.”
