The Brazilian Steer, the American Hamburger and the Power of the Meat Bosses

An American hamburger can begin its journey in a Brazilian pasture, pass through a meatpacking plant controlled by a Brazilian multinational, cross the continent and end up on a grill in the United States. Along this path, it crosses borders, tariffs, corporate interests and a curious political contradiction: The president who promised to protect American producers discovered that, to lower the price of meat consumed by his voters, he needs to make room for foreign competition. On August 21, US President Donald Trump announced a temporary suspension of tariffs on a portion of beef imports. The 90-day measure expanded the quota of meat that could enter the US without the additional tariff normally applied to volumes exceeding authorized limits by 300,000 tons. Meatpackers intend the meat mainly for hamburgers, mixed with fattier domestic production. The initiative, presented as a response to escalating supermarket prices, went into effect on September 1.

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