Audio with Soybean Growers in Japan
(Audio with two officers from the Nebraska Soybean Board, reporting their experiences during last week’s promotional event in Japan. Mike Korth is a farmer/rancher from Randolph, Neb., and Duane Lee farms and raises cattle and hogs near Albion, Neb. Korth represents a 7-county area of northeastern Nebraska on the Soybean Board, and serves as board secretary. Lee is an at-large member who serves as the board’s treasurer.)
Audio link:
Two members of the Nebraska Soybean Board’s (NSB) officer team have just completed a five-day trade mission through Japan, accompanied by staff from the U.S. Meat Export Federation’s Japan operations and NSB Executive Director Victor Bohuslavsky.
Through face-to-face interaction with key meat buyers as well as Japanese consumers, their participation in this event allowed them to gain a better understanding of how financial support from the NSB and the soybean industry is used to enhance exports of U.S. beef and pork to this critical export market. Japan is currently the single largest market for U.S. pork exports when measured by value. It was also once the largest market for U.S. beef, before closing to beef exports in December 2003. Since re-opening to beef from U.S. cattle 20 months of age and younger, Japan has climbed back to the third-largest beef export market in terms of value.
Mike Korth of Randolph, Neb., who has a cow-calf and cattle-feeding operation in addition to growing soybeans, corn and alfalfa, says regaining U.S. market share in a critical market like Japan is crucial for both livestock producers and grain farmers.
Korth Audio Clip #1: :23 Outcue: “… into this country. ”
The group met with several companies in Japan’s meat processing and marketing sectors, to learn more about the opportunities and challenges this market presents for the U.S. beef and pork industries. But they also had a chance to meet with everyday Japanese consumers at a series of promotional, family-style barbeque events sponsored by NSB – where Korth found consumers to be very receptive to U.S. products.
Korth Audio Clip #2: :35 Outcue: “… at the store.”
Duane Lee of Albion, Neb., who raises cattle and hogs as well as growing soybeans, corn and hay, agreed that Japanese consumers are very complimentary of U.S. beef and pork. He said consumer attitudes toward U.S. beef have improved dramatically, compared to when he visited Japan about two years ago and the market had just reopened to U.S. beef. Lee said the biggest obstacle now facing beef exports is that supply is limited to beef from cattle no more than 20 months of age.
Lee Audio Clip #1: :21 Outcue: “… could just get it. ”
Lee saw a great deal of mutual benefit from interacting with Japanese consumers. They learned more about the “human side” of the U.S. industry and the care that is given when U.S. meat is produced, while he gained valuable insights into consumer preferences in Japan through their positive reactions to U.S. pork and beef.
Lee Audio Clip #2: :28 Outcue: “… into this country. ”
# # #
The U.S. Meat Export Federation (www.USMEF.org) is the trade association responsible for developing international markets for the U.S. red meat industry and is funded by USDA, exporting companies, and the beef, pork, corn and soybean checkoff programs.) is the trade association responsible for developing international markets for the U.S. red meat industry and is funded by USDA, exporting companies, and the beef, pork, corn and soybean checkoff programs.
(Audio with two officers from the Nebraska Soybean Board, reporting their experiences during last week’s promotional event in Japan. Mike Korth is a farmer/rancher from Randolph, Neb., and Duane Lee farms and raises cattle and hogs near Albion, Neb. Korth represents a 7-county area of northeastern Nebraska on the Soybean Board, and serves as board secretary. Lee is an at-large member who serves as the board’s treasurer.)
Audio link:
Two members of the Nebraska Soybean Board’s (NSB) officer team have just completed a five-day trade mission through Japan, accompanied by staff from the U.S. Meat Export Federation’s Japan operations and NSB Executive Director Victor Bohuslavsky.
Through face-to-face interaction with key meat buyers as well as Japanese consumers, their participation in this event allowed them to gain a better understanding of how financial support from the NSB and the soybean industry is used to enhance exports of U.S. beef and pork to this critical export market. Japan is currently the single largest market for U.S. pork exports when measured by value. It was also once the largest market for U.S. beef, before closing to beef exports in December 2003. Since re-opening to beef from U.S. cattle 20 months of age and younger, Japan has climbed back to the third-largest beef export market in terms of value.
Mike Korth of Randolph, Neb., who has a cow-calf and cattle-feeding operation in addition to growing soybeans, corn and alfalfa, says regaining U.S. market share in a critical market like Japan is crucial for both livestock producers and grain farmers.
Korth Audio Clip #1: :23 Outcue: “… into this country. ”
The group met with several companies in Japan’s meat processing and marketing sectors, to learn more about the opportunities and challenges this market presents for the U.S. beef and pork industries. But they also had a chance to meet with everyday Japanese consumers at a series of promotional, family-style barbeque events sponsored by NSB – where Korth found consumers to be very receptive to U.S. products.
Korth Audio Clip #2: :35 Outcue: “… at the store.”
Duane Lee of Albion, Neb., who raises cattle and hogs as well as growing soybeans, corn and hay, agreed that Japanese consumers are very complimentary of U.S. beef and pork. He said consumer attitudes toward U.S. beef have improved dramatically, compared to when he visited Japan about two years ago and the market had just reopened to U.S. beef. Lee said the biggest obstacle now facing beef exports is that supply is limited to beef from cattle no more than 20 months of age.
Lee Audio Clip #1: :21 Outcue: “… could just get it. ”
Lee saw a great deal of mutual benefit from interacting with Japanese consumers. They learned more about the “human side” of the U.S. industry and the care that is given when U.S. meat is produced, while he gained valuable insights into consumer preferences in Japan through their positive reactions to U.S. pork and beef.
Lee Audio Clip #2: :28 Outcue: “… into this country. ”
# # #
The U.S. Meat Export Federation (www.USMEF.org) is the trade association responsible for developing international markets for the U.S. red meat industry and is funded by USDA, exporting companies, and the beef, pork, corn and soybean checkoff programs.) is the trade association responsible for developing international markets for the U.S. red meat industry and is funded by USDA, exporting companies, and the beef, pork, corn and soybean checkoff programs.