BSE                                     ...

BSE                                                                                                

OIE Opposes Beef Bans

The Office International des Epizooties — the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) announced rule changes at a press conference in Paris today that would prevent its members from banning imports of U.S. beef. World Trade Organization (WTO) members are required to adhere to standards set by the OIE unless scientific evidence can be found to oppose a rule.

An OIE official told reporters that boneless beef can be safely exported from countries in all BSE risk categories. The OIE is meeting in Paris this week to reevaluate world standards governing risk classification of countries, which could impact market access for all beef-producing countries.

USDA Under Secretary J.B. Penn told the USMEF BOD meeting: “The United States supports the OIE considering changes to reclassify BSE risk based on the measures a country is taking to prevent BSE rather than the number of cases it has had.”

USMEF BOD Meeting                                                              

General Session Starts With A Whirlwind Tour Of International Markets

“The USMEF staff are the people behind the scenes responsible for the successes U.S. pork and beef have in international markets,” USMEF Chairman Alan Smith said Wednesday in his opening remarks at the USMEF Board of Directors meeting in Washington, D.C.

One recent success is Taiwan reopening to U.S. beef. USMEF Vice President, Asia Pacific, Joel Haggard told USMEF directors that 500 retail stores and 400 restaurants are already featuring U.S. beef, demonstrating what USMEF has consistently held, that consumers will show their faith in U.S. beef by buying it when they are allowed to.

Although the focus has been on when Japan will reopen to U.S. beef, the continuing, exponential success of U.S. pork exports to Japan cannot be ignored, Haggard pointed out.

The United States, said Haggard, has a 25.7 percent share of the pork and pork variety meat import market in Japan, while Europe has a 39.1 percent share. U.S. chilled pork dominates the market with a 70 percent share. In the first quarter of 2005, Japan was the leading market for U.S. pork (including variety meat) exports — 88,963 metric tons sold for $276 million.

U.S. pork and pork variety meat exports are doing well in Mexico, the second largest market in the first quarter of 2005. Vice President, International Programs Tom Lipetzky told directors that Mexico’s successful battle against inflation and continuing growth in the retail sector lie behind U.S. pork’s success and the future is promising. Mexico was also the first major market to reopen to U.S. beef and remains the top market for U.S. beef and beef variety meat. The United States exported 56,635 mt valued at $175.9 million in the first quarter of 2005.

Meanwhile tourism’s recovery from a bad hurricane year in the Caribbean and Central America and to the declining value of the U.S. dollar, bodes well for future U.S. beef and pork exports.

In Europe, the most-affluent trading block, Director, Europe, Russia & the Middle East Jackie Hruby, said a gap in consumption and production mean analysts predict a continuing beef deficit that only imports can fill. Although only a few U.S. companies are approved to export to Europe, USMEF is working to increase that number. U.S. pork has a favorable quota to export pork to Russia, but there are still access limitations and the market remains closed to U.S. beef.

Egypt, a notable market for U.S. beef livers, recently reopened to U.S. beef and the Middle East is promising since its economies are growing and Western-style products and services are increasing in popularity.

BSE                                                                                                

OIE Opposes Beef Bans

The Office International des Epizooties — the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) announced rule changes at a press conference in Paris today that would prevent its members from banning imports of U.S. beef. World Trade Organization (WTO) members are required to adhere to standards set by the OIE unless scientific evidence can be found to oppose a rule.

An OIE official told reporters that boneless beef can be safely exported from countries in all BSE risk categories. The OIE is meeting in Paris this week to reevaluate world standards governing risk classification of countries, which could impact market access for all beef-producing countries.

USDA Under Secretary J.B. Penn told the USMEF BOD meeting: “The United States supports the OIE considering changes to reclassify BSE risk based on the measures a country is taking to prevent BSE rather than the number of cases it has had.”

USMEF BOD Meeting                                                              

General Session Starts With A Whirlwind Tour Of International Markets

“The USMEF staff are the people behind the scenes responsible for the successes U.S. pork and beef have in international markets,” USMEF Chairman Alan Smith said Wednesday in his opening remarks at the USMEF Board of Directors meeting in Washington, D.C.

One recent success is Taiwan reopening to U.S. beef. USMEF Vice President, Asia Pacific, Joel Haggard told USMEF directors that 500 retail stores and 400 restaurants are already featuring U.S. beef, demonstrating what USMEF has consistently held, that consumers will show their faith in U.S. beef by buying it when they are allowed to.

Although the focus has been on when Japan will reopen to U.S. beef, the continuing, exponential success of U.S. pork exports to Japan cannot be ignored, Haggard pointed out.

The United States, said Haggard, has a 25.7 percent share of the pork and pork variety meat import market in Japan, while Europe has a 39.1 percent share. U.S. chilled pork dominates the market with a 70 percent share. In the first quarter of 2005, Japan was the leading market for U.S. pork (including variety meat) exports — 88,963 metric tons sold for $276 million.

U.S. pork and pork variety meat exports are doing well in Mexico, the second largest market in the first quarter of 2005. Vice President, International Programs Tom Lipetzky told directors that Mexico’s successful battle against inflation and continuing growth in the retail sector lie behind U.S. pork’s success and the future is promising. Mexico was also the first major market to reopen to U.S. beef and remains the top market for U.S. beef and beef variety meat. The United States exported 56,635 mt valued at $175.9 million in the first quarter of 2005.

Meanwhile tourism’s recovery from a bad hurricane year in the Caribbean and Central America and to the declining value of the U.S. dollar, bodes well for future U.S. beef and pork exports.

In Europe, the most-affluent trading block, Director, Europe, Russia & the Middle East Jackie Hruby, said a gap in consumption and production mean analysts predict a continuing beef deficit that only imports can fill. Although only a few U.S. companies are approved to export to Europe, USMEF is working to increase that number. U.S. pork has a favorable quota to export pork to Russia, but there are still access limitations and the market remains closed to U.S. beef.

Egypt, a notable market for U.S. beef livers, recently reopened to U.S. beef and the Middle East is promising since its economies are growing and Western-style products and services are increasing in popularity.