China Opening Trade to US Beef

China Beef Market Worth Billions to U.S. Producers; Positive Step for U.S. Chicken Exports

The North American Meat Institute says U.S. beef exports to China could be worth an estimated $2.6 billion, once allowed. The White House announced a deal with China to open the market to U.S. beef no later than July 16th. China has been closed to U.S. beef for nearly 14 years after a case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy that occurred in Washington state in December 2003.

National Cattlemen’s Beef Association President Craig Uden stated: “It’s impossible to overstate how beneficial this will be for America’s cattle producers.” Meat industry publication Meatingplace points out that China has twice before agreed to grant market access to U.S. beef, but regulatory hurdles have prevented any real trade from materializing, and U.S. beef industry stakeholders applauded a similar announcement last September.

The National Chicken Council says the announcement that U.S. beef exports will return to China is a positive step towards resuming chicken exports to China as well. U.S. chicken has been blocked by China since January 2015, when the country issued a blanket ban on all U.S. poultry over issues related to avian influenza.

In a news release, NCC President Mike Brown encouraged the administration to “continue their work to remove China's obstacles preventing U.S. broiler access to their marketplace.” Poultry exports to China peaked in 2008, with an export value of $722 million. The trade deal announced by the White House will also allow Chinese companies to export cooked poultry products to the United States.

Source;  NAFB News