USMEF in the News
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:
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.
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.
Brownfield Interviews USMEF Chair Jay Theiler, Latin America Representative Homero Recio and USMCA Panelists
Meghan Grebner, broadcast supervisor for Brownfield Ag News, provided on-site coverage of the USMEF Strategic Planning Conference in Indianapolis. In this segment, she speaks with newly elected USMEF Chair Jay Theiler about his priorities for the coming year. They also discuss the state of U.S.-China trade relations and the importance of expanding and diversifying destinations for U.S. red meat. Listen to the interview HERE.
In a Healthy Living feature, Grebner spoke with USMEF Latin America Representative Homero Recio about the soaring success of the U.S. pork Boston Butt Burger in Colombia. Listen HERE.
Grebner also interviewed Kenneth Smith Ramos, a former lead negotiator for the Mexican government, and John Masswohl of the Canadian Cattle Association, both of whom addressed USMEF members on the upcoming review of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). She also spoke with Ted McKinney, CEO of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture, about the future of USMCA. See more details HERE.
Rural Radio Network's Coverage of the USMEF Strategic Planning Conference
With support from the Nebraska Corn Board, Steve White, reporter for the Nebraska-based Rural Radio Network, provided on-site coverage of the USMEF Strategic Planning Conference in Indianapolis.
Interviews with Nebraska participants in the conference, including outgoing USMEF Chair Steve Hanson, Chair-elect Dave Bruntz and Executive Committee member Adam Grabenstein, as well as guest speakers and panelists, are available from this web page.
Texas Farm Bureau Radio Coverage of the USMEF Strategic Planning Conference
Tom Nicolette, senior producer for Texas Farm Bureau Radio, provided on-site coverage of the USMEF Strategic Planning Conference in Indianapolis. In this segment, Nicolette speaks with keynote speaker Jan Lambregts of Rabobank about the state of U.S.-China trade relations.
Listen to the interview HERE. (USMEF coverage begins at 4:14)
Nicolette also interviewed Texas cattle feeder Ryan Moorhouse, who serves as chair of the Cattlemen’s Beef Board, about efforts to combat the spread of New World screwworm. Listen HERE.
Also interviewed was Kara Dudley, a rancher from Horseshoe Bay, Texas, who represented the Texas Beef Council at the Strategic Planning Conference. Listen HERE.
Past Beef Board Chair Jimmy Taylor Addresses Importance of Exports with Oklahoma Farm Report
While participating in the USMEF Strategic Planning Conference in Indianapolis, Jimmy Taylor, a western Oklahoma cattle producer, former chairman of the Cattlemen’s Beef Board, and ex officio member of the Oklahoma Beef Council, highlighted the strong value delivered by beef exports with Ron Hays of Oklahoma Farm Report.
Taylor also recapped his experience traveling to key Asian markets during his time as Beef Board chair and seeing firsthand the strong demand for high-quality U.S. beef.
Listen to the interview HERE.
Halstrom Addresses Urgent Need to Remove Market Access Barriers in China with AgDay and Agri-Pulse
A recent edition of AgDay opened with a report on U.S.-China trade negotiations and the advances for U.S. agriculture as a result of the meeting between President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping. The segment includes comments from USMEF President and CEO Dan Halstrom, who notes that while the U.S. meat industry is encouraged that the two sides are making progress, action is still urgently needed on the non-tariff barriers that have effectively closed the Chinese market to U.S. beef.
Watch the segment HERE.
Halstrom discussed these same issues with Agri-Pulse. See the article HERE.
RFD-TV: Halstrom on Easing Market Access Barriers in Southeast Asia
USTR recently announced agreements on reciprocal trade with Malaysia and Cambodia and frameworks for agreements on reciprocal trade with Thailand and Vietnam.
In comments delivered on RFD-TV’s Market Day Report, USMEF President and CEO Dan Halstrom notes that while Southeast Asia holds excellent growth potential for U.S. red meat, exporters face significant tariff and non-tariff barriers in the region. The agreements and frameworks announced by USTR represent progress in addressing these obstacles. The segment also discusses the urgent need for more progress in removing market access barriers in China.
Watch HERE.