MINNEAPOLIS – When it comes to export markets for US meat products, the competitive landscape has shifted. Representatives from the US Meat Export Federation (USMEF) used the platform of its Spring Conference in Minneapolis to update US meat exporters on several opportunities for the United States to gain market share abroad.

Dan Halstrom, USMEF president and chief executive officer, pointed to Europe where pork production fell nearly 6% in 2022. The US pork industry is well-positioned to take advantage of a favorable price and supply situation, especially in the Asia Pacific region. This trend is expected to continue in 2023.

“One of the largest suppliers of pork in the world is down and is likely to remain hamstrung,” Halstrom said. “And when you look at the whole global protein pie, this has implications for beef as well. I’m a marketing guy, and I see this as a big opportunity for the US industry.”

Exports of US beef are gaining momentum after a sluggish start compared to a year ago, Halstrom said, attributing the slow start to 2023 in part to tight supplies. But exports picked up in March as consumer demand in Mexico and the Caribbean strengthened along with the rapid recovery in travel, tourism and foodservice activity.

In contrast, impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic has lingered longer in many Asian markets.

“There are parts of the world where COVID is well in the rearview mirror,” Halstrom said. “We just need to get Asia the same way.”

USMEF’s Jihae Yang, who has taken on the expanded role of Asia Pacific vice president from Joel Haggard, detailed the prospects for continued growth in Asia with a particular focus on the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Yang said the region’s enormous consumer base has a growing need for high-quality protein at a time when domestic livestock producers face headwinds of high input costs and significant animal health issues.

To drive demand, USMEF’s strategy is to maximize carcass value with the pork loin and beef round as featured primals in the organization’s market development efforts.

USMEF already has implemented a similar strategy in the Caribbean. For example, Liz Wunderlich, Caribbean representative, described to conference attendees how USMEF’s focus on underutilized cuts is driving marketing efforts in the Caribbean for US lamb, which is more expensive than product from Australia and New Zealand. The most popular cuts in the region are lamb rack and leg of lamb, but USMEF is actively promoting alternative cuts such as sirloin, Denver ribs and bellies in dishes that highlight the flavor and tenderness of high-quality American lamb.

The conference, which was held May 24-26, featured a general session Thursday, May 25 examining the current state of US-Mexico trade relations. That session was followed by meetings of USMEF’s standing committees, which focused on issues specific to the organization’s pork, beef, exporter and feed grains and oilseeds sectors. The closing session on Friday, May 26 featured former House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson who provided an update on development of the next Farm Bill.