USMEF to Co-host IMS Economics Workshop May 11-13 in Tokyo

USMEF Economist Erin Borror chairs the IMS Economics Committee

USMEF and Japan’s Agriculture and Livestock Industries Corporation (ALIC) are jointly hosting the International Meat Secretariat (IMS) Economics Workshop, which will be held in Tokyo May 11-13.

USMEF Economist Erin Borror is chair of the IMS Economics Committee and has played a leading role in planning the event, along with Bob Bansback, the previous committee chairman. This will be the fifth economics workshop conducted by IMS.

Joel Haggard, USMEF senior VP, Asia-Pacific, is a featured speaker

Joel Haggard, USMEF senior vice president for the Asia-Pacific, is one of the workshop’s featured speakers. Haggard will participate in a May 12 session titled Free Trade Agreements and Their Implications. Haggard will be joined by Dr. Will Martin, research manager for agriculture and rural development for the World Bank.

The workshop is targeted toward economists, trade analysts and other meat industry experts. The 2013 workshop hosted by Bord Bia in Kilkenny, Ireland, attracted 60 delegates from six different continents.

Opening day of the Tokyo workshop will feature individual country presentations split into breakout sessions for pork and beef/sheep meat. These will include ALIC’s overview of Japan’s beef and pork industries, a European perspective on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) and a long-term global outlook for lamb and sheep meat.

Tuesday, May 12, will kick off with Professor Masayoshi Honma of the University of Tokyo discussing Japan’s Macro-Economic Situation, Free Trade Agreements, and the Outlook for Red Meat Demand and Trade. Other themes scheduled for May 12 include:

• a focus on China’s changing meat consumption patterns;
• red meat demand and the macro-economic situation in Japan and other Asian markets;
• securing affordable protein supplies in emerging markets; and
• impact of production technologies on the red meat industry’s efforts to improve its efficiency and sustainability, including insights from Australia and Brazil.

Additional featured speakers at the workshop include:

• Dr. Junfei Bai of China Agricultural University
• Brady Sidwell, vice president for corporate development and strategy for OSI’s Asia Pacific operations
• Dr. Peter Barnard, general manager for trade and economic services for Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA)
• Dr. Silvia Miranda, professor at Sao Paulo University
• Jesus Cham, director of the Philippines Meat Exporters and Traders Association

On May 13, optional tours arranged by ALIC offer participants an in-depth look at Japanese livestock production and food culture. Further program details, registration, lodging and other information can be accessed online. Questions may also be addressed to Erin Borror at eborror@usmef.org or by calling 303-623-6328.