Audio: U.S. Lamb Exports Higher in 2013, but Access to Key Markets Still Lacking
Published: Jun 09, 2013
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After a down year in 2012, exports of U.S. lamb have rebounded to some degree this year. Through April, lamb exports were 3 percent ahead of last year’s pace in volume (4,368 metric tons) and increased 22 percent in value to just over $10 million. Much of this improvement has been driven by variety meat exports, which are important for maximizing carcass value. But for exports to reach their full potential, U.S. lamb needs access to high-value markets such as Japan, South Korea and Taiwan – something that is currently lacking.
Thad Lively, U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) senior vice president for trade access, reports that USMEF is working with U.S. trade officials and the lamb industry to secure market access for U.S. lamb in these key destinations, as well as in Russia and the European Union. Regaining access to Japan is the leading priority, as it was a promising market before closing to U.S. lamb following the first BSE case in the United States in December 2003. Despite the considerable strides made in restoring access for U.S. beef in Japan, lamb exports remain suspended. Lively explains that while the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) mainly focuses on import tariffs and quotas, these negotiations may also provide momentum for resolution of this issue.
Transcript:
JOE SCHUELE: In this U.S. Meat Export Federation report we speak with Thad Lively, USMEF senior vice president for trade access, about the prospects for U.S. lamb. Through April, lamb exports increased 22 percent in value to just over 10 million dollars. But for exports to reach their full potential U.S. lamb needs access to high value markets, something Lively says is currently lacking.
THAD LIVELY: As kind of a first tier set of value-added opportunities for lamb exports - we are looking at Japan, Korea and Taiwan. Currently, we do not have access to any of those three top tier markets but we are working actively with others in the industry to develop strategies for regaining access in all three markets, and of course we are working closely with the U.S. government on that as well. The second set of priorities would include Europe and Russia.
JOE SCHUELE: U.S. lamb lost access to Japan following the December 2003 BSE case in the cattle herd. Regaining access to Japan is now the top trade priority.
THAD LIVELY: Unfortunately, after that first case when Japan closed its market to U.S. Beef they also decided to close to lamb. And although there has been a great deal of success of the two governments negotiating and working out a series of agreements which has restored access for 90 to 95 percent of our fed beef production in Japan, we are still not able to ship lamb to that market. So, I would say that is probably our highest priority and we see opportunities for getting this turned around in the near future. I think it certainly helps that the TPP negotiations will include a component that deals with all sorts of issues that fall outside the usual heading of tariffs and quotas including these kinds of health issues that are holding up our exports for lamb. So yeah, I think that does provide a bit of a push that maybe would not be there without those negotiations going on.
JOE SCHUELE: For more on this and other trade issues, please visit USMEF.org. For the U.S. Meat Export Federation, I’m Joe Schuele.
Thad Lively, U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) senior vice president for trade access, reports that USMEF is working with U.S. trade officials and the lamb industry to secure market access for U.S. lamb in these key destinations, as well as in Russia and the European Union. Regaining access to Japan is the leading priority, as it was a promising market before closing to U.S. lamb following the first BSE case in the United States in December 2003. Despite the considerable strides made in restoring access for U.S. beef in Japan, lamb exports remain suspended. Lively explains that while the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) mainly focuses on import tariffs and quotas, these negotiations may also provide momentum for resolution of this issue.
Transcript:
JOE SCHUELE: In this U.S. Meat Export Federation report we speak with Thad Lively, USMEF senior vice president for trade access, about the prospects for U.S. lamb. Through April, lamb exports increased 22 percent in value to just over 10 million dollars. But for exports to reach their full potential U.S. lamb needs access to high value markets, something Lively says is currently lacking.
THAD LIVELY: As kind of a first tier set of value-added opportunities for lamb exports - we are looking at Japan, Korea and Taiwan. Currently, we do not have access to any of those three top tier markets but we are working actively with others in the industry to develop strategies for regaining access in all three markets, and of course we are working closely with the U.S. government on that as well. The second set of priorities would include Europe and Russia.
JOE SCHUELE: U.S. lamb lost access to Japan following the December 2003 BSE case in the cattle herd. Regaining access to Japan is now the top trade priority.
THAD LIVELY: Unfortunately, after that first case when Japan closed its market to U.S. Beef they also decided to close to lamb. And although there has been a great deal of success of the two governments negotiating and working out a series of agreements which has restored access for 90 to 95 percent of our fed beef production in Japan, we are still not able to ship lamb to that market. So, I would say that is probably our highest priority and we see opportunities for getting this turned around in the near future. I think it certainly helps that the TPP negotiations will include a component that deals with all sorts of issues that fall outside the usual heading of tariffs and quotas including these kinds of health issues that are holding up our exports for lamb. So yeah, I think that does provide a bit of a push that maybe would not be there without those negotiations going on.
JOE SCHUELE: For more on this and other trade issues, please visit USMEF.org. For the U.S. Meat Export Federation, I’m Joe Schuele.