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Missouri corn grower promotes U.S. beef in Japan, Korea

A Missouri corn grower has been coaxing Japanese and Korean retailers to sell more U.S. grain fed beef.  Missouri Corn Merchandising Council board member Greg Schneider joined farmers from four other states on a mission to promote U.S. beef in the two countries.

Schneider, from Warrenton, Missouri, tells Brownfield that Japanese and Korean distributors are impressed with the quality, but price plays a role.

“So that is why they have tried to introduce some lower-dollar cuts, such as short plate and brisket, and to change the way some of it is being prepared,” Schneider told Brownfield Ag News.

Schneider says there’s logic in the Corn Merchandising Council sending someone to promote the export of U.S. beef.

“Well, the more corn-fed beef is eaten around the world, the more corn is consumed, which in turn increases the price for corn,” he said.

Schneider and the others on the trip spent time promoting U.S. beef to retailers and consumers, and learning something while in the foreign grocery stores.

“I was surprised to see the same cuts that you would see in our grocery store,” said Schneider.  “I was under the impression that they didn’t use ribeye, but that is not the case; ribeyes are very readily available in both [Korea and Japan].”

Schneider is also a cattle producer.

AUDIO: Greg Schneider (5 min. MP3)