ATLANTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - Feeding a family is getting harder as beef prices hit record highs, and a new White House plan meant to cut costs has Georgia ranchers sounding the alarm.

Georgia raises nearly 1 million head of cattle, mostly on family farms. Local cattlemen say federal changes could devastate them.

In McDonough, fourth-generation farmer Scott Craig is constantly balancing what he calls the three F’s — fuel, feed and fertilizer. He says those rising expenses leave local producers with tight margins.

“You see, the feed I put in that bunk right there, it goes up every time they bring a load, put in that bin. Fuel to cut hay for these guys, fertilizer to fertilize the hay that goes into them,” Craig said.

To try to lower grocery costs, President Donald Trump announced a plan on Aug. 21 to bypass tariffs and import 300,000 metric tons of foreign ground beef.

Prices at the grocery store have climbed steadily. According to the USDA, a pound of ground beef now averages $6.89, up from $4.39 five years ago.

“Prices are so high these days,” said Claudette Dillard.

Emory University marketing expert Doug Bowman said that while consumers might get a temporary reprieve, the policy injects heavy risk into a fragile industry.

“It just injects more uncertainty. We need producers to be confident that they can invest so that we can have a robust, homegrown beef supply,” Bowman said.

Local cattlemen argue relying on foreign imports is a short-sighted fix when domestic herds are already thinned out.

“Our national herd numbers are down over a million head now, and trying to subsidize that from other countries is, I don’t think the way to go. I think that they need to invest back in the American farmer to build our cattle herds back up,” Craig said.

Beyond the immediate costs, Craig’s biggest worry is the permanent loss of agricultural land to real estate developers.

“You can’t plow those houses under and plant a crop the next year once that house is there. That land’s gone out of farming forever, possibly. So it’s going to be tough when there’s no more land to farm and the American farmer’s gone,” Craig said.

State agricultural officials, including Commissioner Tyler Harper, argue the long-term solution lies in expanding local processing capacity and supporting domestic farms.

Copyright 2026 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.