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Worldwide

U.S. Pork Exports Up 18 Percent In Volume, 24 Percent In Value

U.S. pork (including variety meat) exports were 18 percent higher in volume (851,709 mt) in the first nine months of 2005 compared to Jan.-Sept., 2004 and 24 percent higher in value at $1.95 billion. U.S. pork (including variety meat) exports to Japan were 17 percent higher in volume (270,523 mt) and 15 percent higher in value ($837.9 million). Mexico was the No. 2 market despite a 3 percent decrease in volume to 239,422 mt and a 3 percent decrease in value to $367.7 million.

A detailed breakdown of Jan.-Sept. 2005 pork export figures is available on the USMEF Web site.

U.S. Beef Exports Up 58 Percent Over 2004

Mexico was the No. 1 market for U.S. beef (including variety meat) exports in the first nine months of 2005. U.S. beef (including variety meat) exports to Mexico totaled 198,522 metric tons (mt), a 61 percent increase on the first nine months of 2004 due to the closing of the market in the beginning of that year and the restrictions on what products can be exported. The value of U.S. beef (including variety meat) exports to Mexico climbed 73 percent to $610.6 million. Canada was the second largest destination for U.S. beef (including variety meat) exports (30,601 mt; $128.4 million), just ahead of the European Union (26,181 mt; $25.8 million).

According to the USDA, U.S. beef (including variety meat) exports for Jan.-Sept. 2005 totaled 332,360 mt compared to 210,846 mt in the first nine months of 2004 (a 58 percent increase) and 976,489 mt in Jan.-Sept., 2003. The value of exports rose 84 percent from $511.3 million to $939.4 million ($2.88 billion in Jan-Sept., 2003).

A detailed breakdown of Jan.-Sept. 2005 beef export figures is available on the USMEF Web site.

Agriculture OceanTransportation Coalition

Exporters Report That China Is Requiring WPM Written Certification

The Agriculture Ocean Transportation Coalition (AgOTC) reports that some of its members have informed it that they are being asked for written certification of compliance with the new ISPM 15 standard for wood packing material (WPM). The AgoOTC reaffirms that China's stated policy is that it is currently accepting WPM treated and stamped in accordance with the new standard, which requires no certification.The policy also states that until Jan. 1, 2006, China will also accept WPM treated and certified under the certification system put into place in 1999.Nevertheless, it is clear that this policy is not being implemented as stated, and that many Chinese Customs officials are requiring certification even if the WPM is treated under ISPM 15.

To avoid problems upon entry, the AgOTC encourages exporters to China to include a certificate of treatment even if the WPM is ISPM 15-compliant. The AgOTC is “hopeful that by January 1 Chinese Customs will get their act together and cease requiring the certificate.” The certificate itself can be found athttp://www.aphis.usda.gov/ppq/forms/ppq553.pdf

For more on this and other AgOTC issues, log on to www.usmef.org and click on the AgOTC link on the home page.

Japan

New Beef Cuts for Japan — A USMEF Sales & Marketing Seminar

After almost two years of exclusion, USMEF wants to help U.S. exporters quickly recapture the market when Japan reopens to U.S. beef. The imminent agreement with Japan will likely restrict U.S. beef exports to animals of 20 months or younger, and beef from as few as 15 percent of U.S. cattle will qualify for export to Japan. USMEF will lay out a strategy to help exporters maximize the value of the cattle that are eligible at New Beef Cuts for Japan — A USMEF Sales & Marketing Seminar in Omaha and Lincoln, Nebraska, Nov. 29 (1:00 p.m.-5 p.m.) and 30 (9 a.m.-noon).

The seminar includes a demonstration of how to prepare four of the 17 cuts for different Japanese dishes by USMEF-Japan Senior Marketing Director Takemichi Yamashoji, and Ms. Hiromi Akahori, a registered nutritionist and vice president of the Akahori Cooking Institute, will cook the dishes for participants to sample.

Complete details of the seminar are in an online brochure.

Worldwide

U.S. Pork Exports Up 18 Percent In Volume, 24 Percent In Value

U.S. pork (including variety meat) exports were 18 percent higher in volume (851,709 mt) in the first nine months of 2005 compared to Jan.-Sept., 2004 and 24 percent higher in value at $1.95 billion. U.S. pork (including variety meat) exports to Japan were 17 percent higher in volume (270,523 mt) and 15 percent higher in value ($837.9 million). Mexico was the No. 2 market despite a 3 percent decrease in volume to 239,422 mt and a 3 percent decrease in value to $367.7 million.

A detailed breakdown of Jan.-Sept. 2005 pork export figures is available on the USMEF Web site.

U.S. Beef Exports Up 58 Percent Over 2004

Mexico was the No. 1 market for U.S. beef (including variety meat) exports in the first nine months of 2005. U.S. beef (including variety meat) exports to Mexico totaled 198,522 metric tons (mt), a 61 percent increase on the first nine months of 2004 due to the closing of the market in the beginning of that year and the restrictions on what products can be exported. The value of U.S. beef (including variety meat) exports to Mexico climbed 73 percent to $610.6 million. Canada was the second largest destination for U.S. beef (including variety meat) exports (30,601 mt; $128.4 million), just ahead of the European Union (26,181 mt; $25.8 million).

According to the USDA, U.S. beef (including variety meat) exports for Jan.-Sept. 2005 totaled 332,360 mt compared to 210,846 mt in the first nine months of 2004 (a 58 percent increase) and 976,489 mt in Jan.-Sept., 2003. The value of exports rose 84 percent from $511.3 million to $939.4 million ($2.88 billion in Jan-Sept., 2003).

A detailed breakdown of Jan.-Sept. 2005 beef export figures is available on the USMEF Web site.

Agriculture OceanTransportation Coalition

Exporters Report That China Is Requiring WPM Written Certification

The Agriculture Ocean Transportation Coalition (AgOTC) reports that some of its members have informed it that they are being asked for written certification of compliance with the new ISPM 15 standard for wood packing material (WPM). The AgoOTC reaffirms that China's stated policy is that it is currently accepting WPM treated and stamped in accordance with the new standard, which requires no certification.The policy also states that until Jan. 1, 2006, China will also accept WPM treated and certified under the certification system put into place in 1999.Nevertheless, it is clear that this policy is not being implemented as stated, and that many Chinese Customs officials are requiring certification even if the WPM is treated under ISPM 15.

To avoid problems upon entry, the AgOTC encourages exporters to China to include a certificate of treatment even if the WPM is ISPM 15-compliant. The AgOTC is “hopeful that by January 1 Chinese Customs will get their act together and cease requiring the certificate.” The certificate itself can be found athttp://www.aphis.usda.gov/ppq/forms/ppq553.pdf

For more on this and other AgOTC issues, log on to www.usmef.org and click on the AgOTC link on the home page.

Japan

New Beef Cuts for Japan — A USMEF Sales & Marketing Seminar

After almost two years of exclusion, USMEF wants to help U.S. exporters quickly recapture the market when Japan reopens to U.S. beef. The imminent agreement with Japan will likely restrict U.S. beef exports to animals of 20 months or younger, and beef from as few as 15 percent of U.S. cattle will qualify for export to Japan. USMEF will lay out a strategy to help exporters maximize the value of the cattle that are eligible at New Beef Cuts for Japan — A USMEF Sales & Marketing Seminar in Omaha and Lincoln, Nebraska, Nov. 29 (1:00 p.m.-5 p.m.) and 30 (9 a.m.-noon).

The seminar includes a demonstration of how to prepare four of the 17 cuts for different Japanese dishes by USMEF-Japan Senior Marketing Director Takemichi Yamashoji, and Ms. Hiromi Akahori, a registered nutritionist and vice president of the Akahori Cooking Institute, will cook the dishes for participants to sample.

Complete details of the seminar are in an online brochure.