Though it’s taking place in small steps and not huge leaps, the opening of ...

Though it’s taking place in small steps and not huge leaps, the opening of the South Korean market to U.S. beef is looking up. U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) President and CEO Philip Seng says the recent ruling by the World Organization for Animal Health that the United States is a “controlled risk” country for BSE also is helping.

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Speaking this week from the USMEF Board of Directors meeting in La Jolla, Calif., Seng said it will take years before trade will reach pre-BSE levels.

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Seng says South Korea – like all countries – will follow its own rules in renewing imports.

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Though resumption of beef trade is slow, there are some very positive signs for the future.

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South Korea and Japan have been key export markets for U.S. beef in the past, and while the opening of their borders may not be as U.S. producers would like, with careful trade negotiations and strong marketing they can return to previous prominence.

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 –