Weekly USMEF Audio Report: Economist Discusses Mid-Year Export Results

Aug. 11, 2009 - Final beef and pork exports results  for June will be released this week, which will invite comparisons with the first-half performance in 2008. U.S. Meat Export Federation Economist Erin Daley is expecting pork plus pork variety meat exports to remain below last year’s record pace, though still well ahead of 2007 export levels. This is primarily due to the significant decline in exports to China and Russia, which has been offset to some degree by an increase in the volume of pork variety meat to other global markets. 

Pork exports during May and early June were also negatively impacted by trade suspensions related to H1N1 influenza. 

Daley expects mid-year beef plus beef variety meat exports to be roughly equal to the first half of 2008. She points out that while U.S. beef sales in Asia are well ahead of last year’s pace, this has been largely offset by a sharp decline in exports to Mexico – the No. 1 market for U.S. beef. 

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The U.S. Meat Export Federation (www.USMEF.org) 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 and soybean checkoff programs.