The U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) today (Nov. 3) elected Dennis Erpeldi...

The U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) today (Nov. 3) elected Dennis Erpelding of Elanco Animal Health as chair for the next year during its Board of Directors Strategic Planning and Marketing Conference in Cancun, Mexico.

Erpelding took over elected leadership of USMEF from outgoing chair John Bellinger, San Antonio, Tex., of Agri-West International.

“I look forward to following the pattern and passion set by John Bellinger over this past year,” Erpelding said during his inaugural address. “Our commitment will continue to be communication – internally as well as to our external audiences – as we focus on market access and development.”

The communication priority is one of three objectives Erpelding outlined for USMEF members attending the conference, which was held this week. The second is to work with all meat production and marketing sectors to increase U.S. red meat exports. Finally, Erpelding intends to help leverage the international networks, using individuals and communication to advance the message of what the organization is doing to put U.S. red meat on world tables.

USMEF also elected Dan Halstrom, of Swift & Company, Greeley, Colo., as chair-elect, Jon Caspers, Swaledale, Iowa, representing National Pork Producers Council, as vice-chair, and Jim Peterson, Buffalo, Mont., representing National Cattlemen’s Beef Association as secretary-treasurer.

The USMEF Executive Committee also is comprised of representatives from U.S. agricultural sectors, such as beef, pork and lamb producers and feeders; packers and processors; purveyors and traders; oilseeds producers; feedgrains producers; farm organizations; and supply and service organizations. Two sector representatives were elected to serve three-year terms: Luisa Munsee, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, to represent beef/veal producing and feeding and Steve Isaf, Interra International, to represent purveying and trading.

USMEF also recognized members of the Executive Committee whose terms representing their sectors ended. Retiring representatives are Peterson, representing beef/veal producing and feeding, and Knud Aagaard-Svendsen, of MetaFoods, LLC, representing purveying and trading.

The U.S. Meat Export Federation 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, lamb, corn, sorghum and soybean checkoff programs.

– USMEF –