Puerto Rico imports more beef, relative to local production and population, than does the U.S. mainland. Imports of foreign beef, especially from Central America, tend to depress Puerto Rican beef prices and, in turn, production. The lean Puerto Rican beef, unlike beef from the States, directly competes with Central American meat. Small-scale production and marketing, high land values from population pressure, and easy access to low-cost Central American meat hurt the Puerto Rican producers' competitive position. Curtailing imports under a simulated model significantly boosts Puerto Rican beef prices, production, and consultation, but such restrictions may violate U.S. trade agreements. This report describes Puerto Rico's beef industry, especially the effects of beef imports on Puerto Rican producers