U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) has produced several bilingual U.S. beef ...

Published: Aug 29, 2003

U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) has produced several bilingual U.S. beef materials, including a brochure entitled “Healthy and Safe U.S. Beef,” in English and Arabic.

The 8-page “Healthy” brochure addresses subjects such as grass-fed beef versus U.S. corn-fed beef, the commitment of the U.S. beef industry to quality, strict enforcement of veterinary controls, product classification, types and nomenclatures of U.S. beef and applications in the HRI sector. It features six topics:

U.S. Grass-Fed Beef
U.S. Beef Free from BSE and FMD
U.S. Beef Product Diversity
U.S. Beef Nutrition
The American Beef Club
The International Meat Manual

It will be distributed to target accounts during trade visits and mailed to major importers and distributors in the Middle East as part of USMEF technical assistance efforts.

The funding for this endeavor comes from the USDA Section 108 Program, which provides funds in local currency for project development – as long as these projects are undertaken in a select list of developing countries. Printing and final production of “Healthy and Safe U.S. Beef” took place in Tunisia and was paid for in Tunisian currency, as required by the program.

The material used was translated from existing information produced in English by USMEF and the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), and was tailored to meet the needs of Arabic buyers and consumers. To ensure full control, graphic design and final copy were supervised by USMEF Middle Eastern Representative Simon Bakht.

Section 108 funding also was used for:

A 6-page recipe brochure entitled “U.S. Beef.... Tasty Ideas....Healthy Meals.” Besides recipes, the brochure includes product information and storage/handling tips.
An 8-page brochure entitled “U.S. Beef: Precision in Production” covering topics of great interest to the Middle Eastern trade, such as safety/wholesomeness guarantees, grading and inspection, and diversity/versatility of U.S. beef cuts.
“U.S. Beef: Chefs' First Choice,” an 8-page brochure developed especially for chefs, which addresses U.S. beef from breeding and rearing to safe storage and handling.
Place mats featuring the most commonly served U.S. high quality beef cuts in trendy, upscale restaurants, the parts of the beef carcass from which they come, and how they can be best presented to diners.
Hanging mobiles featuring the USMEF logo.
“U.S. Beef: A Commitment to Quality and Safety” posters featuring U.S. quality underutilized beef cuts in succulent tasty dishes that appeal to Middle Eastern customers.
A chef’s handbook for distribution to the HRI sector.

The United States exported 26,131 metric tons (mt) of beef (including variety meats) valued at $42.4 million to the Middle East in the first 10 months of 2002. Most of these exports went to Egypt, the largest buyer of U.S. beef livers. None of the countries in the region are self-sufficient in beef – Egypt, for example, produces only 11 percent of the beef livers its people consume – and populations are rising. The U.S. also exports high-quality beef to Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Lebanon. Most of the region currently bans beef imports from the European Union (EU) because of fears of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE).

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, corn, sorghum and soybean checkoff programs.

-- USMEF --