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Strong pace continues for US meat exports

US meat exports have continued their strong pace through the first two months of this year.

Joe Schuele (she-lee) is with the US Meat Export Federation.  “The pork side we have continued strong support from Mexico,” he says.  “But we’ve also seen an uptick from Japan and Korea.  On the beef side our chilled beef exports to north Asia – those markets being Japan, Korea, and Taiwan – have just been outstanding.”

He says the diversity of markets is key to supporting US exports.  “We’re not heavily dependent on any particular market,” he says.  “Although I can’t emphasize enough how important Mexico’s continued buying of pork is, especially for the ham primal.  But we do have a lot of other markets that are growing with a lot of our mainstay markets.”

Schuele says the issue still remains getting US beef into the Chinese market and while they don’t expect an announcement to come from President Trump’s meetings this week – there is always hope.

But he says it’s an issue that has lingered since 2003.  “China continues to be a rapidly growing beef import market,” he says.  “Last year they took about $2.6 billion in beef.  That’s about 10 times as much beef as China was importing five or six years ago.  Growth has been exceptional and we have unfortunately been on the sidelines.”

Schuele says overall – exports of red meat are thriving and larger US production is adding even more opportunity.

AUDIO: Joe Schuele, US Meat Export Federation