US beef exports to China have seen a big boost since the signing of the Phase One trade deal.
Joel Haggard is senior vice president for the Asia Pacific with the US Meat Export Federation. “China moved its import conditions for US product closer to what we would call international norms,” he says. “The accepted tolerances for growth promotants allowed all US beef plants access to the markets, and they recognized USDA’s traceability capabilities.”
He says there are other factors, including limited supplies of pork and rising prices resulting from the country’s African swine fever outbreak have improved demand for competing proteins and the tight cattle supply in Australia, which is limiting competition in the export market.
