Heartland Team of 21 Producers Reviews Market Investments in Korea
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A team of producers representing the pork, beef, corn and soybean industries visited Korea last week to see first-hand the investments the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) is making in the market.
Korea is the leading export market for U.S. beef, with purchases totaling $1.4 billion through July of this year (146,084 metric tons), but Cattlemen’s Beef Board Chair Ryan Moorhouse, a cattle feeder from Amarillo, Texas, sees room for continued growth as Koreans move away from rice towards a more protein-based diet.
That same dynamic was evident to Illinois Pork Producers Association President Josh Maschhoff as he saw pork and beef featured prominently on restaurant advertising and in grocery display cases. Korea is the third largest export destination for U.S. pork muscle cuts at $422 million through July (130,238 metric tons).
The group visited foodservice and retail locations including Costco and E-Mart, toured the Port of Busan, and toured key importing companies such as Fresheasy, Frank Burger and Highland Foods. Eddie Park, the chief operating officer of Highland Foods, says he specifically wanted to host the team in order to build relationships directly with U.S. farmers because his customers are demanding the quality and taste of U.S. beef and pork.