USMEF in the News
Halstrom Discusses Latest Export Results, Impact of Middle East Conflict on Agriculture of America
In a live segment with Agriculture of America host Jesse Allen, USMEF President and CEO Dan Halstrom details the latest export results for U.S. pork, beef and lamb. They also discuss the military conflict in the Middle East, how it affects export shipments to the region, and the impact on global trade.
Listen to the interview HERE.
Meatingplace: Erin Borror on Upside Potential of Saudi Arabia’s Import Policy Changes
USDA recently confirmed that an Export Verification (EV) Program will no longer be required for U.S. beef exports to Saudi Arabia. USMEF VP of Economic Analysis Erin Borror explained to Meatingplace how this regulatory change will eliminate onerous, birth-to-slaughter verification requirements that made the Saudi market difficult to serve. USMEF estimates the opportunities for U.S. beef exports to Saudi Arabia are in the $100 million-$150 million range in the near to medium term.
Read the article HERE.
Former USMEF Chair Keith Miller and Family Featured in Farm Progress
Keith and Connie Miller of Great Bend, Kan., were recently named to the Kansas Master Farm Families Class of 2026. Keith is a former USMEF chair who has also held leadership roles with the Kansas Farm Bureau and the Kansas Soybean Commission. The Millers farm and raise cattle near Great Bend with their daughter, Dara Prescott, and her husband, Jason.
Read the article HERE.
Dan Halstrom Details Latest Export Results on WNAX Radio
USMEF President and CEO Dan Halstrom recently discussed highlights from the latest export results for U.S. beef and pork with Keith Lundberg, farm director from Yankton, S.D.-based WNAX Radio. Key points included broad-based year-over-year growth for U.S. pork and a value record for beef variety meat exports. They also discussed the upcoming USMEF read meat symposium in Mexico City.
Listen to the interview HERE.
Coverage of USMEF at Commodity Classic
Red meat exports were a topic of great interest at the Commodity Classic convention and trade show in San Antonio. Several media outlets discussed the critical returns pork and beef exports deliver for U.S. soybean and corn growers, who turned out in record numbers for the event.
Examples included:
Oklahoma Farm Report: Erin Borror on Full Year of No Beef Access to China
On the Oklahoma Farm Report’s latest Beef Buzz segment, senior farm and ranch broadcaster Ron Hays speaks with Erin Borror, USMEF VP of economic analysis, about the persistent trade barriers that have effectively locked U.S. beef out of China. Mid-March marks the one-year anniversary of when the majority of U.S. beef plants lost eligibility when China failed to renew facility registrations. But Borror explains that for China to fully reopen the market, it must address issues beyond the expired registrations.
Hear the interview HERE.
Halstrom Details Benefits of Taiwan, Indonesia Trade Agreements with Brownfield
USMEF President and CEO Dan Halstrom recently spoke with Brownfield Ag News reporter about the agreement on reciprocal trade reached between the U.S. and Taiwan. As Halstrom explains, the agreement includes significant market access gains for U.S. red meat. He adds that a reciprocal trade deal with Indonesia also holds tremendous potential for export growth, if Indonesia follows through on its commitments to eliminate technical barriers.
They also discussed the trade framework the Trump administration has reached with North Macedonia. Halstrom explains that North Macedonia could be a promising market for U.S. pork and beef, but many technical details must still be worked out.
Listen to the interview HERE.
National Hog Farmer: Trade Deals to Broaden Opportunities in Taiwan, Indonesia
In a guest column for National Hog Farmer magazine, USMEF detailed market access improvements for U.S. pork that are included in recently announced reciprocal trade agreements with Taiwan and Indonesia.
Read the article HERE.
Halstrom Provides Beef Export Update on NCBA's Cattlemen to Cattlemen
At the Cattle Industry Annual Convention in Nashville, USMEF President and CEO Dan Halstrom was interviewed for the weekly industry television program NCBA’s Cattlemen to Cattlemen. In a recently aired episode, Halstrom and host Kevin Ochsner recap the 2025 beef export results, which were heavily impact of the closure of the Chinese market. They also discuss growing demand for U.S. beef in emerging markets and the importance of market diversification.
Watch the interview HERE.
Beef Central Coverage of U.S. Beef’s Return to Australia
Australia-based trade publication Beef Central provided extensive coverage of launch event market U.S. beef’s return to the market after an extended absence nearly reaching a quarter century. The event, hosted by the U.S. Consulate in Sydney, allowed guests to enjoy USDA Choice and Prime grade beef cuts supplied by Tyson Foods and True West.
Read the article HERE.
AgriTalk: SCOTUS Tariff Ruling, 2025 Export Results, Indonesia Trade Deal
AgriTalk guest host Michelle Rook spoke with USMEF President and CEO Dan Halstrom about year-end 2025 export results for U.S. pork and beef, as well as the potential impact of the U.S. Supreme Court ruling on reciprocal tariffs and the recently announced trade agreement with Indonesia.
Halstrom explained that the U.S. industry is bullish on the Indonesia agreement, which – when implemented – will eliminate many persistent trade barriers that have limited U.S. beef’s presence in the market. With a non-Muslim population of more than 35 million, Indonesia also holds potential for U.S. pork.
Listen to the segment HERE.
Halstrom Discusses Benefits of U.S.-Taiwan Trade Deal on AgDay
USMEF President and CEO Dan Halstrom was in Taipei, Taiwan, when USTR announced the signing of an Agreement on Reciprocal Trade between the United States and Taiwan. The agreement includes significant market access gains for U.S. red meat, which Halstrom explained in an interview with AgDay.
Watch the interview HERE.
AgDay also ran a second segment focusing primarily on pork access in Taiwan. Watch HERE.
Year-End Export Results and New Trade Deals Detailed on AgriTalk
USMEF President and CEO Dan Halstrom joined AgriTalk host Chip Flory to discuss the year-end export results for U.S. pork, beef and lamb. He noted that while pork exports were just short of the 2024 record, exports were record-large to markets such as Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean.
They also discussed the Trump administration’s announcements of reciprocal trade deals with Taiwan and Indonesia, both of which offer potential opportunities for red meat export growth.
Listen to the interview HERE.
USMEF Discusses Keys to Export Growth, Profitability with Working Ranch Radio Show
Joe Schuele, USMEF senior VP of communications, recently joined Tim O’Byrne of the Working Ranch Radio Show for a discussion of the factors impacting global demand for U.S. beef. The discuss the urgent need to regain access for U.S. beef in China, as well as how top destinations for U.S. beef variety meat – such as Mexico, Japan and Egypt – are performing and the value these exports deliver for cattle producers.
Listen to the podcast HERE.
Coverage of USMEF at CattleCon 2026 in Nashville
Global beef demand and market access for U.S. beef were major topics of interest at the Cattle Industry Annual Convention, held Feb. 3-5 in Nashville. USMEF President and CEO Dan Halstrom was interviewed by numerous media outlets covering the convention, including:
AgDay: USMEF’s Erin Borror Discusses Mexico’s Antidumping Probe on U.S. Pork
In a recent edition of AgDay, USMEF VP of Economic Analysis Erin Borror details the steps USMEF is taking to assist U.S. pork exporters with their responses to the Mexican government’s antidumping and anti-subsidy investigation on U.S. hams and pork shoulders.
While Mexico’s imports of U.S. pork continue to set records, Borror explains this is actually demand-driven growth at higher prices, refuting the notion that any product is being dumped into the Mexican market.
Watch the segment HERE.
USMEF Explains Mexico’s Shift in Red Meat Import Policy in National Hog Farmer
In a guest column for National Hog Farmer magazine, USMEF explains Mexico’s recent shift in import policy for red meat products originating from non-FTA countries. From mid-2022 through the end of last year, Mexico waived import duties on all pork and beef from eligible suppliers. But in 2026, Mexico has shifted back to the use of tariff rate quotas. The change will mostly impact Brazil, and will not affect Mexico’s imports of U.S. or Canadian red meat.
Read the article HERE.
Halstrom Details Latest Export Results on Agriculture of America
USMEF President and CEO Dan Halstrom joined Agriculture of America host Jesse Allen for a live discussion of the latest (October) red meat export results, which included record-large pork shipments to Mexico, Guatemala and Honduras. They also discussed the ongoing beef trade impasse with China, where the vast majority of U.S. beef plants remain ineligible.
Halstrom also explained the importance of maintaining full, duty-free access for U.S. red meat in the Mexican and Canadian markets in the upcoming review of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement.
Listen to the interview HERE.
Brownfield Ag News: USMEF Executive Committee Member Matt Schuiteman Reports from American Farm Bureau Convention
Matt Schuiteman, a farmer from Sioux Center, Iowa, who represents farm organizations on the USMEF Executive Committee, spoke with Brownfield Ag News reporter Brent Barnett about key issues being addressed at the American Farm Bureau Convention in Anaheim, Calif. Schuiteman explained that the convention presented a great opportunity to education producers about the importance of red meat exports and the role of USMEF in building global demand for U.S. pork, beef and lamb. They also discussed policy issues that were front-and-center at the convention, such as the upcoming review of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, California’s Proposition 12 and the urgency of finalizing a new farm bill.
Listen to the interview HERE.
AgDay Recaps Latest Pork Export Results
AgDay Anchor Clinton Griffiths recapped the latest (October) export results for U.S. pork, as detailed by USMEF. Highlights included record-large shipments to Mexico, Honduras and Guatemala.
Watch the segment HERE.
USMEF Addresses Impact of China’s Beef Safeguard Measures
After China’s Ministry of Commerce announced the implementation of a tariff rate quota (TRQ) in response to its beef safeguard investigation, USMEF discussed this policy move with several media outlets. USMEF senior staff explained that with the Chinese market effectively closed to U.S. beef, a full market reopening is obviously the U.S. industry’s top priority. But while the safeguard measures will primarily impact Brazilian and Australian beef, they still represent a misguided policy that will distort global markets and make imported beef less accessible for consumers. Coverage includes:
Halstrom Addresses Importance of Maintaining USMCA with Brownfield Ag News
USMEF President and CEO Dan Halstrom recently spoke with Meghan Grebner, broadcast supervisor at Brownfield Ag News about the importance of maintaining full access for U.S. red meat in Mexico and Canada.
Pork, beef and lamb trade within North America faced few obstacles under NAFTA, and duty-free access was maintained in the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). Halstrom explained that the upcoming review of USMCA is a critical proceeding for the U.S. industry. They also discussed recently announced trade frameworks with Guatemala, El Salvador, Argentina and Ecuador.
Listen to the interview HERE.
Beef Board Officer Speaks to Importance of Building Global Demand
Cheryl Devuyst, who currently serves as vice chair of the Cattlemen’s Beef Board and will begin her term as chair in February, recently spoke to farm broadcast networks about the important role the Beef Checkoff Program plays in building demand for U.S. beef variety meat and for beef cuts that are less popular in the domestic market. Hear more details from:
Agriculture of America: Latest Export Results, China Phase One Investigation
USMEF President and CEO Dan Halstrom joined Agriculture of America host Jesse Allen for a live discussion of the latest red meat export results. They also discussed USTR’s investigation of the U.S.-China Economic and Trade Agreement, popularly known as the Phase One Agreement. Halstrom explained that Phase One was a major win for the U.S. red meat industry, but China is no longer living up to its commitments under the agreement.
Listen to the interview HERE.
Agweek TV Features Update on Global Demand for U.S. Red Meat
Agweek TV anchor Emily Beal interviewed USMEF President and CEO Dan Halstrom at the National Association of Farm Broadcasting Convention in Kansas City. Halstrom discusses how customers in Latin American markets – where beef demand used to be very price-sensitive – are now seeking higher-quality cuts of U.S. beef. He notes this is also true for U.S. pork, as Latin American demand has helped pork exports approach the record-breaking totals of 2024.
Watch the segment HERE.
Trade Impact of ASF in Spain Discussed in MEAT+POULTRY, National Hog Farmer
National Hog Farmer magazine and MEAT+POULTRY were among the industry publications carrying USMEF’s analysis of the impact of recent African swine fever (ASF) findings in Spain. Erin Borror, USMEF VP for economic analysis, explained that although some countries have temporarily suspended all pork imports from Spain, other major trading partners – including China, South Korea and the United Kingdom – recognize the European Union’s ASF regionalization plan and therefore continue to accept Spanish pork from areas not affected by ASF. Read the coverage below:
Halstrom Discusses Prospects for U.S. Pork and Beef in United Kingdom with Ag Info Network of the West
With the Trump administration seeking to improve market access for U.S. pork and beef in the United Kingdom, USMEF President and CEO Dan Halstrom recently spoke with reporter Bob Larson of Ag Information Network of the West about potential growth in the UK. They also discussed ongoing efforts to reduce trade barriers in the European Union.
Listen to the interview HERE.
Northern Ag Network Coverage of USMEF’s USMCA Panel Discussion
As USTR was concluding its multi-day hearing on the operation of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), Northern Ag Network anchor Andy Schwab offered viewers a segment featuring remarks from the USMCA panel discussion at the USMEF Strategic Planning Conference. Watch the segment HERE.
Dan Halstrom Discusses New USDA Trade Promotion Program on AgDay, AgriTalk
USDA recently announced it is accepting applications for the America First Trade Promotion Program (AFTPP), which was authorized by Congress in the budget reconciliation bill passed earlier this year.
On AgDay, USMEF President and CEO Dan Halstrom explains that AFTPP provides $285 million to promote agricultural trade, complementing existing USDA trade promotion programs. He adds that AFTPP was briefly delayed by the government shutdown, but USDA staff very quickly got the program up and running once Congress passed a stopgap funding bill. Watch the segment HERE.
Halstrom also discussed the benefits of AFTPP with AgriTalk host Chip Flory. Listen to the interview HERE.
Agri-Pulse Newsmakers Segment on U.S.-China Trade Relations and Other Key Issues Impacting Red Meat Trade
In an interview with Agri-Pulse reporter Lydia Johnson, USMEF President and CEO Dan Halstrom discusses the trade impasse with China that has effectively locked U.S. beef out of the world’s largest import market. Halstrom also explains the importance the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement to U.S. exporters, as will as other free trade agreements that have helped the U.S. pork, beef and lamb industries expand international demand.
Watch HERE (Halstrom segment begins at 14:30).
New USMEF Executive Committee Member David Hardin on Hoosier Ag Today
At the USMEF Strategic Planning Conference in Indianapolis, David Hardin, a corn, soybean, and pork producer based in Hendricks County, Ind., was elected to the USMEF Executive Committee, representing the oilseeds producing sector.
In an interview with Hoosier Ag Today reporter C.J. Miller, Hardin discusses the longtime partnership between USMEF and the Indiana Soybean Alliance, noting that the collaborative efforts of these organizations deliver benefits for all of U.S. agriculture. They also discuss recent policy actions and other developments affecting agricultural trade. Listen to the interview HERE.
USMEF Details Impact of Tariffs, Trade Policies on Oklahoma Farm Report
At the National Association of Farm Broadcasting (NAFB) Convention in Kansas City, Joe Schuele, USMEF senior vice president of communications, joined a panel discussion addressing the impact of tariffs and other trade policies affecting agricultural exports. Following the session, Schuele was interviewed by K.C. Shepherd, director of farm and ranch broadcasting for Oklahoma Farm Report. red meat exports and underscored the urgent need to restore access for U.S. beef in China. See more details and hear the interview HERE.
U.S. Pork Burger’s Soaring Popularity Detailed in National Hog Farmer
USMEF recently highlighted the soaring popularity of the Boston Butt Burger, a burger derived from U.S. pork Boston butt, in a guest column for National Hog Farmer magazine. Introduced to the Colombian meat trade about one year ago, the Boston butt burger is capturing consumer attention and penetrating new markets throughout Colombia and nearby countries in Latin America. It has also attracted significant attention from importers and distributors in Japan.
Read more HERE.
RFD-TV’s Live Interview with Newly Elected USMEF Chair Jay Theiler
Just minutes after he was officially elected USMEF chair, Jay Theiler spoke live with RFD-TV anchor Suzanne Alexander about his long history as a USMEF member and his priorities for the coming year.
Theiler, who is executive vice president of corporate affairs for Boise, Idaho-based Agri Beef Company, discussed the importance of differentiating the quality and consistency of U.S. red meat and defending hard-earned market share in established destinations such as Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and Mexico.
Theiler also stressed the importance of identifying and developing emerging markets in regions such as Southeast Asia, Latin America and Africa. Watch the interview HERE.