Ranchers with cattle could see profits from high cattle prices diminished by potential U.S. tariffs. Bob Schneider/CHAT News

By Jesse Gill

TARIFFS

Concern in cattle industry over potential U.S. tariffs on Canadian exports

Jan 23, 2025 | 4:35 PM

The threat of 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian goods heading to the United States from President Donald Trump’s administration has those in a variety of exporting industries across Canada concerned.

With a potential start date of Feb. 1 for tariffs, Bradley Betcker, a Cypress County rancher and grain farmer said the most noticeable impact for his industry would be with cattle.

Canadian ranchers may see less benefit from record high cattle prices due to a corresponding 25 per cent drop to the Canadian market.

“The cattle will still flow to the U.S., but it’ll just be at the discount of 25 per cent, and so our whole market should drop 25 per cent,” Betcker said.

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“Corresponding to the amount of the tariff. There’s lots of people forward contracting their cattle right now to get a good price.”

Betcker adds that cattle ranchers are also buying insurance so they get paid at a guaranteed price regardless of if the tariffs come into place.

He said a large percentage of Canadian crops go to countries outside of the United States, so the impact in that industry shouldn’t be as strong as with the cattle industry, which is heavily dependant on exporting to the U.S.

Betcker said if Canada matches the tariffs on American beef producers, it would likely stop any beef coming north of the border, which he says isn’t a significant amount.

“The cattle will still be flowing to the U.S. as they were before, just at a lower rate that it is now for us,” Betcker said.

“The producer is going to be the one, or whoever has the cattle that is unprotected as far as pricing right now is going to be the one that’s actually going to take the hit. When they sell them, they’re going to lose the 25%.”

Betcker said if the tariffs lasted multiple years things would settle down, but for now there could be lots of money lost.

Which would be frustrating for ranchers who where expecting a profitable cattle season after a number of years of drought.

He said regular cattle hay isn’t sent to the U.S. as much, but those that sell specialty hay to Americans to feed horses would also also see a strong impact from tariffs.