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Nebraska stands to benefit ‘greatly’ from China beef deal

Nebraska ag director Greg Ibach says the state stands to benefit greatly if China follows through with its promise to resume imports of U.S. beef.

“We’re the number one beef slaughter state in the nation. We’re the number one cattle-on-feed state in the nation. And, overall, we have about 20 percent market share of all the beef leaving the U.S. for another country,” Ibach says.

Nebraska will take an aggressive approach to the Chinese market, Ibach says.

“We fully intend to play aggressively in the development of the marketplace. We hope to take a position in the market that will allow individual farmers and ranchers to be able to feel the impact of China purchasing U.S. beef.”

Ibach says Nebraska has been working for several months to build key partnerships in China for Nebraska beef, in anticipation of the market reopening.