Historically low cattle numbers, combined with strong demand, have driven beef prices higher in the US. And it’s an issue clearly on President Donald Trump’s radar. This summer, he lowered tariffs on some beef imports to bring prices down. But prices have remained stubbornly high, and now he’s turning to Paraguay for help. The arrangement could benefit Paraguay, too: as the only South American country that recognizes Taiwan, it is effectively shut out of the massive Chinese beef market, making access to US consumers especially valuable.
Hard Numbers
Where’s the beef?
Natalie Johnson
By Will FitzpatrickSeptember 25, 2026
Will Fitzpatrick
Will Fitzpatrick is a multimedia reporter and producer at GZERO, where he does a little bit of everything: writing for the GZERO Daily, creating social videos, producing GZERO World, and whatever else the news cycle throws his way.
Before GZERO, Will worked in documentary film on both the production and post-production sides, including on Everest: The Other Side and on The First Wave. He has also directed and produced two short documentaries of his own. Outside the film world, Will has worked as a freelance journalist, with reporting that has taken him from the dhow workshops of Oman to the mountains of Patagonia, with plenty of stops in between. He’s especially interested in the niche, hard-to-reach, and underreported stories that reveal something bigger about how the world works.
Will studied economics and world politics at Hamilton College and received his Master’s in journalism from New York University. When he's not reporting, you can likely find Will tending to his oyster farm, on a bike, or somewhere outdoors.
