Page 10 - MWC 04-22-2021s

US BEEF While the content of the The Midwest Cattleman · April 22, 2021 · P10
continued from page 3 study repeatedly confirms the 2021 RED MEAT centages to 203,526 MT val-
U.S. as the leader in sustain- ued at $548 million.
out them because their unique able beef and cattle produc- continued from page 3 Through February, pork
digestive system allows tion, NCBA was disappointed ident and CEO, said in a exports were 11% below
them to convert human-in- to see a statement in the ab- USMEF report. "Logistical last year's pace at 487,896
edible plants, like grass, into stract that advocated for a re- challenges, including conges- MT, valued at $1.27 billion,
high-quality protein.” duction in beef consumption. tion at some U.S. ports, are down 13%. Pork muscle cut
Although the study’s ab- This statement is not only still a significant headwind exports were also down 11%
stract disingenuously advo- unfounded but is inappropri- and tight labor supplies at to 411,760 mt, valued at $1.1
cates for decreased beef con- ate to include in a summary the plant level continue to billion and down 14%.
sumption, the paper itself of work that consistently val- impact export volumes for Pork exports set new re-
repeatedly points out that the idates American conservation certain products - including cords in February in the Do-
advantages of the U.S. cattle and management practices. some variety meat items and minican Republic, Guatema-
and beef production model Cattle production protects labor-intensive muscle cuts." la, El Salvador and Costa
far outweigh the impacts. The open space, guards against Export demand has re- Rica and were very strong to
U.S. has been a global lead- catastrophic wildfire, and pro- mained solid despite logis- the Philippines and Colom-
er with the lowest emissions tects wildlife habitat across tical challenges and other bia, USMEF said. As antici-
intensity in the world for the the country. Those benefits, pandemic-related obstacles, pated, pork exports to China/
past 25 years, producing just and the practices that under- USMEF reports. Continued Hong Kong trended lower
2 percent of U.S. greenhouse pin them in the United States, international demand, along than the record volumes
gas emissions, or 0.5 percent further confirm the country’s with robust domestic busi- shipped in 2020, but the re-
of global GHG emissions. role as a global leader. ness, contributed to stron- gion continues to be the larg-
The study examined live- “Beef and cattle produc- ger cutout values in the first est destination for U.S. pork.
stock lifecycle assessments tion is a critical part of our quarter, which were up an
(LCAs) from across the globe country’s identity as a global average of 27% year-over- Beef Exports See Decline
to reach its conclusions and leader in sustainable beef pro- year for pork (nearly $90/ in Variety Meat Exports
pointed out that there is sig- duction, but also in our long- cwt) and 4% for Choice beef Beef exports totaled
nificant room for improve- held principle that economic, ($224/cwt). 103,493 MT in February,
ment of global livestock pro- environmental, and commu- The flow of exports down 8% from a year ago, val-
duction practices. While it laid nity-based sustainability will through U.S. ports is showing ued at $669.5 million, down
out many opportunities for result in widespread bene- some gradual improvement 2%. This was due mainly to
improvement, it also recog- fits,” said Bohn. “U.S. farmers as COVID-impacted crews a decline in variety meat ex-
nized the work already done and ranchers are the best in move closer to full strength, ports, as beef muscle cuts
by the U.S. cattle industry to the world when it comes to Halstrom said. However, it were steady with last year in
become the leader in sustain- producing safe, wholesome still remains a serious con- value at $597.9 million on a
able beef production. Thanks and sustainable high-quality cern for the U.S. agricultural volume of 82,530 MT or down
to early adoption of innova- beef for American families, sector. 3%.
tive grazing practices com- and doing it with the smallest "USMEF greatly appre- Through February, beef
bined with advances in cattle possible footprint and we’re ciates the members of Con- exports were 5% below last
breeding and nutrition, U.S. committed to continuing on gress and ag industry repre- year's pace at 208,540 MT,
producers have already em- that path of improvement.” sentatives who have worked valued at $1.32 billion and
ployed many of the suggested to bring more attention to down 2%. Beef muscle cut
practices that the study sug- NCBA this situation, and the efforts exports were down 1% to
gests employing around the of maritime regulators to 163,928 MT and held steady
world. address shipping practices," in value at $1.18 billion.
Halstrom said in the report. Beef exports to South
CHINA’S MARCH A severe wave of infections Pork Exports Drop in Korea are off to a very strong

continued from page 3 in the first quarter wiped out February From a Year Ago start in 2021, USMEF said,
at least 20% of the breeding February pork exports and demand for U.S. beef con-
It comes as China's output herd in northern China, indus- were down 12% from a year tinues to grow in China fu-
of pork, its staple meat, contin- try sources and analysts have ago at 239,240 metric tons eled by access gains achieved
ues to be affected by the dead- told Reuters, causing some (MT), valued at $629.4 mil- in the U.S.-China Phase One
ly hog disease African swine farmers to panic and slaughter lion or down 13%, USMEF Economic and Trade Agree-
fever, which reached the coun- smaller pigs. reports. For muscle cuts only, ment.
try in 2018. Domestic pork prices have exports fell by the same per-
The large volume is likely a plunged more than 40% since Drovers
record, according to Pan Chen- the beginning of the year amid
jun, senior analyst at Rabo- liquidation of stocks and weak
bank, and reflects the market demand.
expectation of a substantial Imports are set to remain
shortage of meat after renewed high, however, with most peo-
swine fever outbreaks over the ple anticipating an ongoing
winter. supply shortage, added Pan.
"People also thought the Imports for the first three
pandemic was over, but it months of 2021 reached 2.63
wasn't," she said, noting that million metric tons, up 20.8%
demand has not been as strong versus the same period of last
as expected. year, the data also showed.
Market sentiment has
changed since late March, said Reuters
Pan.