Audio: U.S. Beef Exports to Europe Growing Faster than Expected
Published: May 05, 2011
In mid-2009, the United States and the European Union struck an agreement
that defused the tension over beef from cattle raised with growth
promotants. In exchange for the United States’ commitment to eliminate
retaliatory tariffs on imports of certain EU products, the EU agreed – for the
first time ever – to create a duty-free quota for imports of high-quality beef.
Expectations were somewhat modest when the quota first opened in
August 2009. For the first full quota year of export activity (July 1, 2010
through June 30, 2011) the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) projected
the volume of high-quality U.S. beef exports would be roughly 13,000 metric
tons. But based on the current subscription of import licenses for May and
June, U.S. beef shipments should reach 16,500 metric tons.
In the attached audio report, John Brook, USMEF regional director for
Europe, Russia and the Middle East, explains that these results are particularly
impressive because they come at a time when consumption of
medium-quality, domestically raised beef is sharply declining in Europe.
With the U.S. export volume approaching 16,500 metric tons, Australia
shipping roughly 3,000 metric tons and Canada adding small volumes, the
20,000 metric-ton quota will be nearly fully utilized this year. While this is
positive news in terms of trade activity, Brook says it illustrates the urgency
of negotiating an expansion of the duty-free quota to allow for further
growth. He notes that additional exports of high-quality beef to Europe are
possible outside of the duty-free quota, but very difficult to achieve in the
current economic climate.
that defused the tension over beef from cattle raised with growth
promotants. In exchange for the United States’ commitment to eliminate
retaliatory tariffs on imports of certain EU products, the EU agreed – for the
first time ever – to create a duty-free quota for imports of high-quality beef.
Expectations were somewhat modest when the quota first opened in
August 2009. For the first full quota year of export activity (July 1, 2010
through June 30, 2011) the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) projected
the volume of high-quality U.S. beef exports would be roughly 13,000 metric
tons. But based on the current subscription of import licenses for May and
June, U.S. beef shipments should reach 16,500 metric tons.
In the attached audio report, John Brook, USMEF regional director for
Europe, Russia and the Middle East, explains that these results are particularly
impressive because they come at a time when consumption of
medium-quality, domestically raised beef is sharply declining in Europe.
With the U.S. export volume approaching 16,500 metric tons, Australia
shipping roughly 3,000 metric tons and Canada adding small volumes, the
20,000 metric-ton quota will be nearly fully utilized this year. While this is
positive news in terms of trade activity, Brook says it illustrates the urgency
of negotiating an expansion of the duty-free quota to allow for further
growth. He notes that additional exports of high-quality beef to Europe are
possible outside of the duty-free quota, but very difficult to achieve in the
current economic climate.