CHICAGO, Dec 24 (Reuters) - Gary Vetter was 10 years old when he started feeding cattle at his family's farm.
Fifty-five years later, after surviving bouts of extreme weather, changing consumer tastes and global trade disruptions, the Westside, Iowa, farmer faces an unexpected risk from the man he backed for U.S. president: Donald Trump.
Facing intense frustration from voters over rising everyday costs, Trump declared this fall that beef was too expensive and ranchers must lower cattle prices. The price of beef was “higher than we want it, but it’s going to be coming down soon,” Trump said.
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Much like the price of eggs during the Biden administration, the cost of beef has become an emblem of the affordability crisis in America. Beef prices hit record highs earlier this year as the cattle herd shrank and consumer demand remained strong.
