International Markets Committee Discusses 2010 Export Outlook, Urges Action on U.S.-Korea FTA...
International Markets Committee Discusses 2010 Export Outlook, Urges Action on U.S.-Korea FTA
The beef industry’s Joint International Markets Committee discussed a host of trade topics Friday at the Cattle Industry Annual Convention in San Antonio. The keynote speaker for the meeting was Jonghyun Choi, minister for economic affairs for the Korean Embassy in Washington, D.C.
Choi strongly urged the committee to support a resolution submitted by the Nebraska Cattlemen that called on the U.S. Congress to immediately ratify the U.S.-Korean Free Trade Agreement. He warned committee members that if the U.S.-Korea agreement continues to languish while Korea engages in FTA negotiations with Australia, U.S. beef could be placed at a price disadvantage due to reduced tariffs on Australian products.
The committee unanimously supported the resolution, which was approved the following day by the full NCBA Board of Directors.
USMEF President and CEO Philip Seng provided the committee with a discussion of USMEF promotional activities and a number of emerging issues that impact consumer attitudes toward U.S. beef in overseas markets. Seng noted that one of the biggest changes he’s seen with regard to foreign marketing is the shift in packer outlook and behavior.
Philip Seng addresses the Joint International Markets Committee in San Antonio
“Years ago, packers looked at the foreign markets as ‘residual’ – somewhere to ship products not consumed in the United States,” he said. “But today, they see the international market as being much more primary. Foreign buyers are now setting standards that affect the entire beef production and supply system, and the international market is more consumer-driven than ever before.”
USMEF Chairman Jim Peterson provided the committee with a report on the Meat Industry Trade Coalition, which is designed to create a more unified voice for improving foreign market access for U.S. products.
“This whole effort is using the existing industry organizations to address the issue of market access,” Peterson said. “The primary role that USMEF can play is in the area of market intelligence. USMEF has staff in those overseas markets every day of the year, so they understand the needs and wants of those countries. And through this coalition, this information can be filtered into the policy organizations so that industry policy can take into account what each market’s needs are.”
Peterson added that it is his hope that the work of the coalition will lead to a more incremental, market-specific approach to market access negotiations for U.S. beef.
“The industry has come to realize that an incremental approach is more effective, and the Meat Industry Trade Coalition is helping us consistently deliver that message to the U.S. government,” he said.
Committee Chairman Bob McCan led a discussion of the goals established in the Beef Industry Long Range Plan with regard to international marketing. He noted that the industry reached its goal of becoming a net beef exporter (in terms of value) by 2010, achieving that status in both 2008 and 2009. However, the United States has not yet reached its annual beef export volume goal of 3 billion pounds.
NCBA trade counsel Gary Horlick gave the day’s final presentation, discussing the status of the WTO trade action filed against the United States by Canada and Mexico with regard to mandatory country-of-origin labeling. Horlick expects an initial decision to be issued in the case by early 2011. When the initial decision is appealed, he expects the WTO’s appellate body to issue a ruling in mid-2011.
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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.
International Markets Committee Discusses 2010 Export Outlook, Urges Action on U.S.-Korea FTA
The beef industry’s Joint International Markets Committee discussed a host of trade topics Friday at the Cattle Industry Annual Convention in San Antonio. The keynote speaker for the meeting was Jonghyun Choi, minister for economic affairs for the Korean Embassy in Washington, D.C.
Choi strongly urged the committee to support a resolution submitted by the Nebraska Cattlemen that called on the U.S. Congress to immediately ratify the U.S.-Korean Free Trade Agreement. He warned committee members that if the U.S.-Korea agreement continues to languish while Korea engages in FTA negotiations with Australia, U.S. beef could be placed at a price disadvantage due to reduced tariffs on Australian products.
The committee unanimously supported the resolution, which was approved the following day by the full NCBA Board of Directors.
USMEF President and CEO Philip Seng provided the committee with a discussion of USMEF promotional activities and a number of emerging issues that impact consumer attitudes toward U.S. beef in overseas markets. Seng noted that one of the biggest changes he’s seen with regard to foreign marketing is the shift in packer outlook and behavior.
Philip Seng addresses the Joint International Markets Committee in San Antonio
“Years ago, packers looked at the foreign markets as ‘residual’ – somewhere to ship products not consumed in the United States,” he said. “But today, they see the international market as being much more primary. Foreign buyers are now setting standards that affect the entire beef production and supply system, and the international market is more consumer-driven than ever before.”
USMEF Chairman Jim Peterson provided the committee with a report on the Meat Industry Trade Coalition, which is designed to create a more unified voice for improving foreign market access for U.S. products.
“This whole effort is using the existing industry organizations to address the issue of market access,” Peterson said. “The primary role that USMEF can play is in the area of market intelligence. USMEF has staff in those overseas markets every day of the year, so they understand the needs and wants of those countries. And through this coalition, this information can be filtered into the policy organizations so that industry policy can take into account what each market’s needs are.”
Peterson added that it is his hope that the work of the coalition will lead to a more incremental, market-specific approach to market access negotiations for U.S. beef.
“The industry has come to realize that an incremental approach is more effective, and the Meat Industry Trade Coalition is helping us consistently deliver that message to the U.S. government,” he said.
Committee Chairman Bob McCan led a discussion of the goals established in the Beef Industry Long Range Plan with regard to international marketing. He noted that the industry reached its goal of becoming a net beef exporter (in terms of value) by 2010, achieving that status in both 2008 and 2009. However, the United States has not yet reached its annual beef export volume goal of 3 billion pounds.
NCBA trade counsel Gary Horlick gave the day’s final presentation, discussing the status of the WTO trade action filed against the United States by Canada and Mexico with regard to mandatory country-of-origin labeling. Horlick expects an initial decision to be issued in the case by early 2011. When the initial decision is appealed, he expects the WTO’s appellate body to issue a ruling in mid-2011.
# # #
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.