Asia | Iowa Trade Mission Increases Market Knowledge | A trade mission to Ch...
Asia
Iowa Trade Mission Increases Market Knowledge
A trade mission to China and South Korea earlier this month showed Iowa agriculture representatives that international consumers are ready for U.S. beef to return to their markets and limited access mostly is due to political reasons than consumer safety or quality concerns.
“At this time, beef imports have become a political football between governments trying to resolve the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement and import issues in China,” said Terri Carstensen, Iowa Beef Industry Council (IBIC) chair. “A message we returned with is demand for U.S. beef is evident and promotion and education efforts by USMEF in each market are helping to build that demand.”
Iowa beef producer Daniel Cook said with more than 1.3 billion people to feed in China along with “small” cities of one million people developing in the country, there is great opportunity for the United States. “Beef exports to China and Korea include short plate, short rib and chuck roll, which Americans do not often eat,” said Cook, who also serves as IBIC treasurer. “Exporting these cuts adds value to the entire beef carcass, and that means more value to the price of cattle.”
The delegation visited importers, wholesalers, supermarkets and restaurants in China, Hong Kong and South Korea, who all said Asian consumers prefer the taste and quality of U.S. beef over beef currently supplied by Australia.
“We heard from importers and wholesale companies that the market for U.S. beef will return to higher levels when there is stability in supply,” Carstensen said.
IBIC Executive Director Nancy Degner said the trade team’s last evening included a meeting with four of the largest importers in South Korea, who asked questions about BSE, cross-contamination in feed and other U.S. procedures. One of the importers had lost more than $5 million in 2003 and another had 10 containers in quarantine, so the visit helped show them that U.S. beef producers cared enough about the market to travel there to meet with them.
Scott Tapper, John Weber and Rich Degner from Iowa Pork Producers Association also participated in the trade mission along with Iowa Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Karey Claghorn and Cal Rozenboom from Iowa Farm Bureau.
The trip was coordinated by the Iowa Department of Economic Development, International Division and partially funded by the beef checkoff. Mark Fischer led and organized the trade mission and USMEF international staff assisted with translation and in-country services.
Asia
Iowa Trade Mission Increases Market Knowledge
A trade mission to China and South Korea earlier this month showed Iowa agriculture representatives that international consumers are ready for U.S. beef to return to their markets and limited access mostly is due to political reasons than consumer safety or quality concerns.
“At this time, beef imports have become a political football between governments trying to resolve the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement and import issues in China,” said Terri Carstensen, Iowa Beef Industry Council (IBIC) chair. “A message we returned with is demand for U.S. beef is evident and promotion and education efforts by USMEF in each market are helping to build that demand.”
Iowa beef producer Daniel Cook said with more than 1.3 billion people to feed in China along with “small” cities of one million people developing in the country, there is great opportunity for the United States. “Beef exports to China and Korea include short plate, short rib and chuck roll, which Americans do not often eat,” said Cook, who also serves as IBIC treasurer. “Exporting these cuts adds value to the entire beef carcass, and that means more value to the price of cattle.”
The delegation visited importers, wholesalers, supermarkets and restaurants in China, Hong Kong and South Korea, who all said Asian consumers prefer the taste and quality of U.S. beef over beef currently supplied by Australia.
“We heard from importers and wholesale companies that the market for U.S. beef will return to higher levels when there is stability in supply,” Carstensen said.
IBIC Executive Director Nancy Degner said the trade team’s last evening included a meeting with four of the largest importers in South Korea, who asked questions about BSE, cross-contamination in feed and other U.S. procedures. One of the importers had lost more than $5 million in 2003 and another had 10 containers in quarantine, so the visit helped show them that U.S. beef producers cared enough about the market to travel there to meet with them.
Scott Tapper, John Weber and Rich Degner from Iowa Pork Producers Association also participated in the trade mission along with Iowa Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Karey Claghorn and Cal Rozenboom from Iowa Farm Bureau.
The trip was coordinated by the Iowa Department of Economic Development, International Division and partially funded by the beef checkoff. Mark Fischer led and organized the trade mission and USMEF international staff assisted with translation and in-country services.