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Halstrom: 2017 U.S. beef exports never better

U.S. Meat Export Federation CEO Dan Halstrom says beef exports have never been better than they were in 2017.

“Right now it’s looking like on the U.S. beef exports we’re looking at a record, right around $7.3 billion in sales,” Halstrom told Brownfield Ag News at the 2018 National Beef Industry Convention in Phoenix.  “On the pork side, while not a value record, more than likely a volume record, so we’re excited about that.”

Halstrom says improving exports are linked to foreign countries’ greater disposable income.

“The economies are growing a lot like ours,” said Halstrom.  “We’re starting to see more and more spending power out there and it’s starting to show up in our demand numbers.”

2018 is shaping up to be another good year, according to Halstrom, except for his concern about renegotiations of the North American Free Trade Agreement, which in its current form, has been good for meat exports.

“Mexico and Canada; it’s about 30 percent of our beef exports are [credited to] NAFTA,” he said.  “On pork, we’re closer to 40 [percent].”

AUDIO: Dan Halstrom (3 min. MP3)

 

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