Audio: Seng Reflects on Record-Shattering Year in Meat Exports
Published: Feb 13, 2012
Exports of U.S. pork, beef and lamb set new records across the board in 2011, with all three species reaching all-time highs in both volume and value and total red meat export value exceeding $11.5 billion.
Pork exports totaled more than 4.97 billion pounds valued at $6.11 billion, breaking the previous volume record of 4.52 billion pounds and shattering the value record of $4.88 billion, both of which were established in 2008.
Beef exports finished the year at 2.84 billion pounds valued at $5.42 billion. This broke the 2000 volume record of 2.82 billion pounds and easily surpassed the 2010 value record of $4.08 billion.
Lamb exports totaled 40.4 million pounds valued at $30.08 million. This topped the previous record performance of 2006, when exports totaled 30.7 million pounds valued at $27.8 million.
In the attached audio report, U.S. Meat Export Federation President and CEO Philip Seng discusses some of the key factors that helped lead U.S. exports to this record-breaking performance.
A full summary of the 2011 export results is available online.
TRANSCRIPT:
Joe Schuele: This is Joe Schuele with the U.S. Meat Export Federation Report. The final numbers have been tallied and 2011 was a record year for exports of U.S. pork, beef and lamb. USMEF President and CEO Philip Seng discusses some of the key factors that helped lead exports to this record-breaking performance.
Philip Seng: We eclipsed $11.5 billion is red meat exports, and that to me is a significant accomplishment because it’s far in excess of what anyone had predicted. It was very, very positive for pork. We were up on a value basis 28 percent. Some of things that really contributed to this would be our chilled programs that are very steady, and value-added programs that we are starting to work in around the world – especially in north Asia. Over the years we’ve had this tremendous commitment through the Pork Checkoff, but also through soybean and corn, and as we’ve seen their commitment to the international market increase, we’ve seen an increase in exports.
Joe Schuele: Seng is hopeful that record beef exports can help reverse a decline in the U.S. cattle herd.
Philip Seng: The biggest highlight of course is that we’ve eclipsed what our performance was in 2003. We’re almost at $5.5 billion – up 33 percent in value. When you look at the value per head of over $200 as a direct result of the export market, I think it looks very promising for the producer. And this is probably the biggest impetus for people to start retaining heifers and to increase the herd, because the value that’s coming from the export market is actually driving the value of the industry.
Joe Schuele: And while the U.S. lamb industry is small, Seng says there are exciting opportunities overseas.
Philip Seng: Lamb actually has tremendous potential internationally. The plate cover that you have with American lamb is better than any other lamb that’s produced in the world. And when you talk to chefs around the world and people who know our product, U.S. lamb is by far the premium lamb in the market. So we see this year’s performance as basically a good baseline from where we can lunch further, as we go forward in the future.
Joe Schuele: For complete export results and the latest on other trade issues, please visit usmef.org.
Pork exports totaled more than 4.97 billion pounds valued at $6.11 billion, breaking the previous volume record of 4.52 billion pounds and shattering the value record of $4.88 billion, both of which were established in 2008.
Beef exports finished the year at 2.84 billion pounds valued at $5.42 billion. This broke the 2000 volume record of 2.82 billion pounds and easily surpassed the 2010 value record of $4.08 billion.
Lamb exports totaled 40.4 million pounds valued at $30.08 million. This topped the previous record performance of 2006, when exports totaled 30.7 million pounds valued at $27.8 million.
In the attached audio report, U.S. Meat Export Federation President and CEO Philip Seng discusses some of the key factors that helped lead U.S. exports to this record-breaking performance.
A full summary of the 2011 export results is available online.
TRANSCRIPT:
Joe Schuele: This is Joe Schuele with the U.S. Meat Export Federation Report. The final numbers have been tallied and 2011 was a record year for exports of U.S. pork, beef and lamb. USMEF President and CEO Philip Seng discusses some of the key factors that helped lead exports to this record-breaking performance.
Philip Seng: We eclipsed $11.5 billion is red meat exports, and that to me is a significant accomplishment because it’s far in excess of what anyone had predicted. It was very, very positive for pork. We were up on a value basis 28 percent. Some of things that really contributed to this would be our chilled programs that are very steady, and value-added programs that we are starting to work in around the world – especially in north Asia. Over the years we’ve had this tremendous commitment through the Pork Checkoff, but also through soybean and corn, and as we’ve seen their commitment to the international market increase, we’ve seen an increase in exports.
Joe Schuele: Seng is hopeful that record beef exports can help reverse a decline in the U.S. cattle herd.
Philip Seng: The biggest highlight of course is that we’ve eclipsed what our performance was in 2003. We’re almost at $5.5 billion – up 33 percent in value. When you look at the value per head of over $200 as a direct result of the export market, I think it looks very promising for the producer. And this is probably the biggest impetus for people to start retaining heifers and to increase the herd, because the value that’s coming from the export market is actually driving the value of the industry.
Joe Schuele: And while the U.S. lamb industry is small, Seng says there are exciting opportunities overseas.
Philip Seng: Lamb actually has tremendous potential internationally. The plate cover that you have with American lamb is better than any other lamb that’s produced in the world. And when you talk to chefs around the world and people who know our product, U.S. lamb is by far the premium lamb in the market. So we see this year’s performance as basically a good baseline from where we can lunch further, as we go forward in the future.
Joe Schuele: For complete export results and the latest on other trade issues, please visit usmef.org.