New Market Access Driving Interest in U.S. Meat at SIAL Paris

Exporters of U.S. beef, pork and lamb met with buyers from around the globe this week at SIAL Paris, one of the world's largest food shows. The U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) hosted a pavilion of red meat exporters made possible through support from USDA's Regional Agricultural Promotion Program.

USMEF President and CEO Dan Halstrom reports from the show that new market access gains helped drive interest from buyers from places like Nigeria, Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom. Those buyers, he says, are looking for secondary cuts and variety meats to provide value for retail and foodservice customers while boosting carcass value for U.S. producers.

Earlier this year, Saudi Arabia removed an export verification program that had severely limited eligible supplies of U.S. beef. Nigeria, which had previously accepted only processed meats, recently opened up to a wide range of U.S. beef and pork cuts. And as part of the trade deal with the United Kingdom announced last year, U.S. beef now has tariff-free access for up to 13,000 metric tons annually.

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