Greg Hanes (second from right), assistant VP of international marketing, addresses a team of Korean meat buyers at USMEF headquarters as USMEF Korea Director Jihae Yang (top right) translates
At USMEF headquarters in Denver, the team heard presentations from senior staff on the U.S. beef production system, demand trends and USMEF’s role in international marketing and promotion. Next they toured the Agricultural Research, Development and Education Center at Colorado State University for in-depth information on animal health and meat production research, and visited the JBS beef plant in Greeley, a Five Rivers Cattle Feeding operation near Kersey, Colo., and Sylvan Dale Ranch near Loveland, Colo.
Last week’s BSE announcement created some anxiety among the buyers, but Yang said they were pleased to learn details about the case and that market access for U.S. beef would not be affected.
“The reaction from the government of Korea has been science-based and appropriate, and that has helped us reassure our customers about the safety of U.S. beef and continued access to our product,” Yang said. “There will be some short-term impact on sales and the timing of promotions, but we have certainly come a long way compared to the situation a few years ago.
“This was also an opportunity for this group of buyers to see firsthand how the BSE case did not diminish consumer confidence or impact beef demand in the United States,” she added. “BSE news can be a bit overwhelming and confusing for Korean consumers, so this experience will help the buyers communicate effectively with their customers.”
Last year U.S. beef exports raced to a very fast start in Korea, due in part to FMD-related concerns over domestic supplies, but 2012 export volume has been fairly consistent with the second half of 2011. Through April, exports to Korea totaled 47,135 metric tons (104 million pounds) valued at $220 million.