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China market could influence changes to U.S. beef industry

The president of the Minnesota State Cattlemen’s Association says getting U.S. beef back into China could influence changes throughout the industry.

Krist Wollum tells Brownfield the growing middle class in China represents a huge opportunity for producers who meet Chinese stipulations that include no added hormones and the approval of proposed rules on traceability.

“I think it definitely could encourage some people to start using different systems to help make their beef available for the export market.  We’ve had very recent talks of developing a traceability program for disease purposes for our state (and) country.  So it’s something that maybe could be implemented now that would help all producers.”

The U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) says the beef industry continues to work on a supply-chain traceability system to satisfy China’s import requirements, and USMEF demonstrated a program to a Chinese delegation visiting U.S. feedlots and processing plants last fall.

The Trump Administration says one more round of technical consultations need to happen between the two countries, and U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross claims the Chinese market will be open to U.S. beef by mid-July.