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Quality has been key to demand for U.S. beef and pork

Despite headwinds facing exports of US beef and pork, demand has remained strong.  

Higher beef prices and a stronger US dollar are just two things that could have created significant challenges. But, Dan Halstrom president and CEO of USMEF says U.S. products remain in high demand. “Every chance I get, I’m asking the question, ‘What about the potential pull-back on the spending ability of the consumer’,” he says.  “Up until now, the answer has generally been no.  No, we need more.”

He tells Brownfield for beef, quality makes a difference.  “Even at a higher price, this is our selling point,” he says.  “You go into markets like China where some of the largest suppliers in the world are Indian buffalo meat, Russian pork, and Brazilian beef.  We can differentiate ourselves from those products.”

AUDIO: Dan Halstrom, US Meat Export Federation

Photo courtesy of the US Meat Export Federation