USMEF in the News
Halstrom Discusses New Plants Approved for China on RFD-TV
China’s General Administration of Customs (GACC) recently approved 18 U.S. beef plants and 12 U.S. pork plants for export to China – the first such approvals in about 10 months. These plants became eligible to ship to China in early November. GACC also approved another group of 11 beef and 8 pork plants in late November, and these plants will be eligible to ship soon. USMEF President and CEO Dan Halstrom discussed these developments with RFD-TV News Anchor Suzanne Alexander.
Watch the interview HERE.
USMEF Chair Randy Spronk at NAFB Trade Talk
USMEF Chair Randy Spronk conducted numerous interviews with reporters, anchors and farm directors from ag radio and television networks from across the nation at the National Association of Farm Broadcasting’s (NAFB) Trade Talk event, held in mid-November in Kansas City. Below is a sampling Spronk’s interviews:
Brownfield Ag News with Meghan Grebner
Ag Central Radio Network with Erick Johnson
Your Ag Network with Monte James
Video highlights from NAFB Trade Talk are also available HERE.

New USMEF Chair Randy Spronk Profiled in The Farmer
Newly elected USMEF Chair Randy Spronk spoke with Kevin Schulz, editor of The Farmer magazine, about how he became involved with the federation and his goals for the coming year.
Read the article HERE.
Record-Large Pork Variety Meat Exports Highlighted in National Hog Farmer
USMEF provided details of this year’s excellent growth in U.S. pork variety meat exports in a guest column for National Hog Farmer magazine.
Read the article HERE.
RFD-TV Airs Live Interviews from USMEF Strategic Planning Conference
RFD-TV provided excellent exposure for the USMEF Strategic Planning Conference by airing several live interviews during its morning and midday newscasts. These interviews are now available online, and can be viewed below:
Dan Halstrom discusses latest red meat export results
Gerardo Rodriguez details factors driving outstanding export growth to Mexico
USMEF Chair Randy Spronk Recaps Strategic Planning Conference with WNAX Radio
Following the USMEF Strategic Planning Conference in New Orleans, USMEF Chair Randy Spronk recapped highlights from the meeting and outlined goals for the coming year with Keith Lundberg, farm director for Yankton, S.D.-based WNAX Radio.
Listen to the interview HERE.
AgDay Covers USDA Under Secretary’s Remarks at USMEF Conference
AgDay provided coverage of USDA Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Alexis Taylor’s remarks at the USMEF Strategic Planning Conference in New Orleans. In this interview, Taylor emphasized the importance of investing in export market development programs.
Watch the segment HERE.
National Pork Board Senior VP Discusses Efforts to Expand U.S. Pork Exports on Rural Radio Network
David Newman, senior vice president for market growth at the National Pork Board (NPB), spoke with Rural Radio Network Farm Director Susan Littlefield about the critical role the partnership between NPB and USMEF plays in expanding global demand for U.S. pork.
Hear the interview HERE.
Brownfield Speaks with USMEF Chair Randy Spronk and Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen at USMEF Conference
In her follow-up coverage from the USMEF Strategic Planning Conference in New Orleans, Brownfield Ag News Anchor/Reporter Meghan Grebner spoke with incoming USMEF Chair Randy Spronk and Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen, who addressed conference attendees at the opening general session.
Rural Radio Network Speaks with Nebraska Governor from USMEF Strategic Planning Conference
Following his address to USMEF members at the Strategic Planning Conference in New Orleans, Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen spoke to Rural Radio Network Farm Director Susan Littlefield about the importance of exports to Nebraska’s meat and livestock industries and to the state’s economy. Littlefield also interviewed guest speaker Jim Wiesemeyer on Farm Bill negotiations and other pressing issues before Congress.
Watch the interview with Gov. Pillen HERE.
Watch the Jim Wiesemeyer interview HERE.
Nebraska Pork Producer Offers Insights from USMEF Strategic Planning Conference
Bill Luckey, a pork producer from Columbus, Neb., and a member of the National Pork Board, offered observations from the USMEF Strategic Planning Conference on the Nebraska Pork Producers Association’s Pork Industry Report.
Listen to the interview HERE.
Texas Cattle Producer Reports from USMEF Conference on Texas Farm Bureau Radio Network
Jay Wade Johnson, a cattle producer from Happy, Texas, who represented Texas Farm Bureau at the USMEF Strategic Planning Conference in New Orleans, offered his observations from the conference in an interview with Tom Nicolette, senior producer for the Texas Farm Bureau Radio Network.
Listen to the interview HERE.
Brownfield Ag News Coverage of USMEF Strategic Planning Conference
Brownfield Ag News Anchor/Reporter Meghan Grebner provided on-site coverage of the USMEF Strategic Planning Conference in New Orleans. Hear Grebner’s reports below:
NCBA CEO Stresses Importance of Exports on Texas Farm Bureau Radio Network
At the USMEF Strategic Planning Conference in New Orleans, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association CEO Colin Woodall spoke with Texas Farm Bureau Radio Network Senior Producer Tom Nicolette about the importance of expanding international markets for U.S. beef.
Listen to the segment HERE.