USMEF Conference Opens with Election Analysis and Focus on U.S.-Mexico Trade Relations

The U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) launched its annual strategic planning conference in Tucson, Ariz., Wednesday with an analysis of the U.S. election’s potential impact on agricultural policy and international trade.

USMEF President and CEO Dan Halstrom opened the conference with an overview of U.S. red meat exports in 2024 and his outlook for the coming year. Halstrom highlighted the resilience in international demand for U.S. red meat despite volatility and serious headwinds in major Asian markets. USMEF forecasts that U.S. pork exports will set volume and value records in 2024, surpassing 3 million metric tons (mt) valued at $8.63 billion. U.S. beef exports are projected to reach 1.28 million mt worth $10.5 billion, an increase of 5% over 2023. A critical piece of this export performance in a volatile year is the demand growth for U.S. red meat in Latin America. Halstrom emphasized the importance of protecting hard-fought market share in increasingly competitive environments. The Latin American boom is real, Halstrom said, and the U.S. industry must keep a close eye on its competition.

“Brazil is starting to get more volume into Mexico, Central America and even into Japan,” Halstrom says. “That being said, our quality ‒ beef, pork and lamb ‒ is second to none. Our products command a superior price and that's the way that we're approaching it when we work to develop these markets. We need to maximize opportunities in our major markets and carve out new destinations, such as Africa, for the future.”