Meat Trader’s Club, SIAL Food Show Highlight USMEF-Shanghai Activities

U.S. pork featured at the 2015 SIAL Food Show in Shanghai

USMEF’s Shanghai office hosted a meeting of the U.S. Meat Traders Club to provide members with an update on promotional activities for U.S. pork and market access talks for U.S. beef, connect traders with other industry representatives and offer an outlook on the global red meat market. A barbecue reception dinner followed the meeting, held on the eve of the 2015 SIAL Shanghai Food Show.

Funding for the meeting and the barbecue reception were provided by the Pork Checkoff and the Beef Checkoff Program.

Nearly two dozen meat importer and distributor representatives from USMEF’s Meat Traders Club heard USMEF Marketing Director Ming Liang present on global beef and pork production, global price trends and trade issues. Liang highlighted larger available U.S. pork supplies this year, explaining that the supply impacts of PEDv had diminished. He suggested that importers and distributors follow U.S. marketplace developments closely in the months ahead.

At a barbecue reception, traders and clients sampled U.S. pork spare ribs and pork butt

On U.S. beef, Liang told committee members that a decline in production in North America is a reality, but that production has stabilized and the industry was now in a growth mode. Meanwhile, U.S. beef prices are likely to maintain high levels through next year as herd rebuilding continues.

Open discussion was then held on U.S. red meat imports to China. Chinese traders emphasized the importance of U.S. plants starting ractopamine-free programs in order to meet China’s requirements.

Later that evening at the reception and dinner, USMEF-Shanghai staff welcomed 158 meat industry professionals involved in trade, distribution, foodservice and retail. Agriculture Minister Counselor Philip Shull joined USMEF in extending his gratitude to Chinese traders for their purchases of U.S. pork. During the dinner, traders and clients were given the opportunity to taste U.S. pork products. At the barbecue station, USMEF offered a selection of U.S. grilled St. Louis spare ribs with chocolate barbecue sauce and roasted U.S. pork butt with cider barbecue sauce.

USMEF also promoted U.S. pork at the SIAL Food Show, considered one of the most important international food exhibitions in the world. U.S. products showcased at SIAL included pork butt, spare ribs, belly and loins.

USMEF hosted a meeting of U.S. Meat Traders Club committee members in Shanghai