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Increasing demand remains key to the livestock sector

Several members of the ag community expressed how important demand is to the livestock sector during a Senate Ag Committee hearing this morning.

Purdue ag economist Dr. Jayson Lusk says access to consumers in other countries has become a necessity for US livestock and poultry producers.  “The US exported about 12 percent of beef, 22 percent of pork, and about 16 percent of poultry production last year,” he says.  “Some producers have expressed concerns about competition from imports, but the US is a net exporter of meat and poultry. And the types of meat we export tends to differ from what we import.”

Jennifer Houston, president of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, says she wants to send a clear message to customers around the world – the US livestock sector is open for business.  “The future success of the US beef industry relies on competitive market access to a growing global consumer base in areas such as Asia,” she says.  “In 2018 we sold more than $8 billion in US beef to core consumers.”

Houston says progress needs to be made on a trade deal with China, Japan, and completion of the USMCA.