Export Market Access Is Key to U.S. Beef/Pork Recovery
Export Market Access Is Key to U.S. Beef/Pork Recovery
“Asia is a shovel-ready stimulus program for the U.S. beef and pork industries,” said Montana beef producer Jim Peterson yesterday in addressing the U.S. Meat Export Federation’s executive committee on the first day of USMEF’s three-day Strategic Planning Conference in Denver. “Asian consumers want more U.S. beef and pork. There is $3 billion per year (in untapped business) waiting to be plucked from the trees.”
Incoming USMEF Chairman Jim Peterson addresses federation directors
The incoming chairman of USMEF’s executive committee, Peterson shared his observations from a recently completed two-week visit to China, South Korea and Japan where he and fellow officers Jon Caspers (USMEF chairman and a pork producer from Swaledale, Iowa) and Keith Miller (vice chairman and a farmer-stockman from Great Bend, Kansas) met with government officials, key opinion leaders, food industry representatives, media and consumers while getting firsthand knowledge of USMEF international programs.
“USMEF is working around the clock on market access,” said Philip Seng, president and CEO of USMEF. “It is critical to what we do and what our members do, and we must be mindful of the potential impact of beef and pork sales on all sectors. For example, if the pork or beef industries see sales fall and decide to cut back on production, that has huge implications for the corn and soybean sectors.”
USMEF President & CEO Philip Seng at the podium
While market access was the most popular topic on the first day of the conference, traceability was a close second. Additionally, several of the executive committee members commented that competition in the international marketplace is tougher than ever.
“Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Chile and others are spending large amounts of money on marketing programs to enhance their image and grow their market share,” said Seng. “Any time they see an opportunity, particularly when the U.S. is experiencing issues, they concentrate their budgets to try to steal market share.”
Joel Haggard, USMEF senior vice president for the Asia-Pacific Region, outlined how USMEF is implementing a multi-phase image-building campaign in South Korea for U.S. beef.
Haggard noted that there are continuing image challenges for U.S. beef in Korea, with lingering concerns following the extensive 2008 candlelight protests. Recent surveys of Korean consumers show that 43.7 percent consider country of origin labeling the most important factor in their beef buying decision. Despite continued consumer apprehension, surveys indicate that some Korean consumers are becoming more receptive to messages that convey the commitment by U.S. beef producers to produce and export safe beef to Korea.
In the coming weeks, USMEF-Korea will be unveiling the next phase of an advertising and public relations campaign designed to rebuild consumer trust in U.S. beef. The campaign will be focused on reaching mothers of school-aged children, since mothers are the primary food purchaser for families.
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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.
For more information, contact Jim Herlihy at jherlihy@usmef.org.
USMEF complies with all equal opportunity, non-discrimination and affirmative action measures applicable to it by contract, government rule or regulation or as otherwise provided by law.
Export Market Access Is Key to U.S. Beef/Pork Recovery
“Asia is a shovel-ready stimulus program for the U.S. beef and pork industries,” said Montana beef producer Jim Peterson yesterday in addressing the U.S. Meat Export Federation’s executive committee on the first day of USMEF’s three-day Strategic Planning Conference in Denver. “Asian consumers want more U.S. beef and pork. There is $3 billion per year (in untapped business) waiting to be plucked from the trees.”
Incoming USMEF Chairman Jim Peterson addresses federation directors
The incoming chairman of USMEF’s executive committee, Peterson shared his observations from a recently completed two-week visit to China, South Korea and Japan where he and fellow officers Jon Caspers (USMEF chairman and a pork producer from Swaledale, Iowa) and Keith Miller (vice chairman and a farmer-stockman from Great Bend, Kansas) met with government officials, key opinion leaders, food industry representatives, media and consumers while getting firsthand knowledge of USMEF international programs.
“USMEF is working around the clock on market access,” said Philip Seng, president and CEO of USMEF. “It is critical to what we do and what our members do, and we must be mindful of the potential impact of beef and pork sales on all sectors. For example, if the pork or beef industries see sales fall and decide to cut back on production, that has huge implications for the corn and soybean sectors.”
USMEF President & CEO Philip Seng at the podium
While market access was the most popular topic on the first day of the conference, traceability was a close second. Additionally, several of the executive committee members commented that competition in the international marketplace is tougher than ever.
“Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Chile and others are spending large amounts of money on marketing programs to enhance their image and grow their market share,” said Seng. “Any time they see an opportunity, particularly when the U.S. is experiencing issues, they concentrate their budgets to try to steal market share.”
Joel Haggard, USMEF senior vice president for the Asia-Pacific Region, outlined how USMEF is implementing a multi-phase image-building campaign in South Korea for U.S. beef.
Haggard noted that there are continuing image challenges for U.S. beef in Korea, with lingering concerns following the extensive 2008 candlelight protests. Recent surveys of Korean consumers show that 43.7 percent consider country of origin labeling the most important factor in their beef buying decision. Despite continued consumer apprehension, surveys indicate that some Korean consumers are becoming more receptive to messages that convey the commitment by U.S. beef producers to produce and export safe beef to Korea.
In the coming weeks, USMEF-Korea will be unveiling the next phase of an advertising and public relations campaign designed to rebuild consumer trust in U.S. beef. The campaign will be focused on reaching mothers of school-aged children, since mothers are the primary food purchaser for families.
# # #
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.
For more information, contact Jim Herlihy at jherlihy@usmef.org.
USMEF complies with all equal opportunity, non-discrimination and affirmative action measures applicable to it by contract, government rule or regulation or as otherwise provided by law.