MEAT EXPORTS PROVIDE SIGNIFICANT VALUE TO LIVESTOCK PRODUCERS, CORN FARMERS

Mar 14, 2012  |  Today's News

The U.S. Meat Export Federation reported this week that livestock exports are adding significant value to each head of livestock raised in the U.S.

One year ago, $43.59 of every hog was due to the export industry and this year, that number is up to $59.44, or 36 percent!  Additionally, pork exports accounted for 29.6 percent of total U.S. pork production in January of 2012 versus 24.2 percent in January last year.  Exports of pork muscle cuts alone are up five percent from last year.

The beef industry is seeing positive export benefits too.  In 2012, $197.95 of each steer is due to the export industry.

This is great news for Illinois corn farmers!  Hogs, cattle, and even chickens and turkeys are each a value added corn product – a fact that corn farmers in Illinois recognized long ago.

The Illinois Corn Marketing Board was one of the first corn associations to invest in the U.S. Meat Export Federation in the 1980s and become the very first association, company, or partner to donate $1 million dollars to the U.S. Meat Export Federation in their history!

Want to know more? 

The U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) is a nonprofit trade association working to create new opportunities and develop existing international markets for U.S. beef, pork, lamb and veal.  USMEF () is the trade association responsible for developing international markets for the U.S. red meat industry. It is funded by USDA; the beef, pork, lamb, corn and soybean checkoff programs, as well as its members representing nine industry sectors: beef/veal producing & feeding, pork producing & feeding, lamb producing & feeding, packing & processing, purveying & trading, oilseeds producing, feedgrains producing, farm organizations and supply & service organizations.