News Update
July 15, 2010

U.S. Pork, Beef Exports Post Solid Gains in May

U.S. pork and beef exports continued their strong 2010 performance in May, collectively growing 25% in value compared to 2009 and 8% more than April of 2010, according to statistics released by U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF). At $769.5 million, U.S. red meat exports reached their highest monthly value since October 2008.

For producers, the gain in export value per animal processed in May was impressive: $53.10 per animal on the pork side — nearly 30% higher than the $40.90 recorded in May 2009. For beef, export value equated to $160.30 per steer and heifer slaughtered compared to $122 at this time last year — an increase of about 31%.

Beef exports are running stronger than last year in virtually all major markets except Mexico. Global exports of 90,930 metric tons [200 million pounds (lb.)] valued at $349 million were 12% higher in volume and 25% higher in value compared to May 2009. This pushed the cumulative 2010 results to 398,879 metric tons (more than 879 million lb.) valued at $1.5 billion — an increase of 11% in volume and 19% in value over last year’s pace.

Beef muscle cuts are performing even more impressively, increasing 25% in volume and 29% in value over January through May 2009. Similar to what the pork industry is seeing in variety meat, beef variety meat exports are down 12% and 21%, respectively.

Beef exports to all key Asian markets grew significantly compared to last year, with exports also on the rise in critical regions such as the Middle East, Russia, Europe and the Caribbean. Exports to Canada are also up for the year by 6% in volume and 9% in value, though May exports to Canada were below last year’s level.

Mexico is still the No. 1 market for U.S. beef in terms of both volume and value, but has not enjoyed the rebound achieved so far this year in all other major markets. Exports to Mexico are down 26% in both volume (95,802 metric tons or 211 million lb.) and value ($310 million) compared to January-May 2009. Muscle cut exports to Mexico have fared better — down 9% in volume and 7% in value. But variety meat exports continue to struggle, falling 45% in volume and 60% in value from last year.

The outlook is much brighter in other key markets. Korea, for example, overtook Japan and Egypt to become the No. 3 volume market for U.S. beef, increasing 66% over January through May of last year to 37,117 metric tons (81.8 million lb.). Korea is fourth-largest in terms of value (behind Mexico, Canada and Japan) at $162.8 million — an increase of 94% over last year. In May, beef exports to Korea were more than three times the volume and nearly four times the value seen in May 2009.

Export growth to Japan also has been impressive, with volume reaching 36,698 metric tons (80.9 million lb.) valued at $193.25 million for the first five months of 2010. This is an increase of 26% in volume and 27% in value over last year’s pace. May export totals were up about 7% in volume and 10% in value over May 2009.

Beef exports to Russia have nearly tripled in volume (26,048 metric tons or 57.4 million lb.) over last year, while rising nearly 700% in value (to $70.4 million). This reflects a growing appetite in Russia for U.S. beef muscle cuts, whereas last year’s exports were almost exclusively limited to variety meat. But even as muscle cut exports to Russia have exploded, variety meat exports are still up by 49% in volume and 178% in value compared to last year.

For more market highlights, visit www.usmef.org.

— Adapted from a USMEF release.

Here’s Your Chance to Win the “7-Piece Beef Grilling” Package

Answer a few easy questions about your beef checkoff investment and you’re automatically entered to win a grilling package including a stadium blanket, grilling utensils, cooler, potholder, Chef Richard Chamberlain’s spice rub, beef checkoff cap and instant-read thermometer. Take the beef checkoff trivia challenge at www.surveymonkey.com/s/CTTS6QV.

— From a Cattlemen’s Beef Board (CBB) release.

Scientists Counter Brucellosis Threat to Livestock and Wildlife

Armed with dart guns and medical pellets, Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists are vaccinating bison in and around Yellowstone National Park against brucellosis.

Researchers from the ARS National Animal Disease Center (NADC) in Ames, Iowa, are using a vaccine known as RB51. By vaccinating the wild bison, scientists hope to prevent the disease from spreading to nearby livestock. Currently, no cattle herds in the U.S. are known to be infected, although some near Yellowstone have been sickened in the last decade.

Brucellosis, an incurable disease, can cause abortions in cattle, bison, elk, and feral swine. It can be transmitted to humans through contact with infected animals or consumption of unpasteurized dairy products. In humans, it’s called undulant fever, and causes severe flu-like symptoms.

Wildlife reservoirs of brucellosis in the United States include bison and elk (which carry Brucella abortus) and feral swine (which carry B. suis). The animals often come in contact with cattle, especially in winter when bison, elk, domestic livestock and swine are all foraging for the same food. B. suis can be transferred to farm animals or people.

Steven Olsen, a veterinary medical officer at NADC, has led the team on the bison vaccination study. During the project, researchers monitored animals to determine the natural course of B. abortus in female bison and their offspring. They found that in bison, the disease mimics the characteristics seen in cattle.

Brucellosis has been nearly eradicated in the United States, mostly through cooperative federal and state programs dating back to the 1950s. But its continuing spread through wildlife in the Yellowstone area has rekindled concern among cattle producers. Currently, there is no eradication program for B. suis, according to Olsen.

Among the concerns of Olsen and his colleagues — microbiologists Fred Tatum and Betsy Bricker — is the difficulty in diferentiating between B. abortus and B. suis. This presents difficulties for federal officials because a national brucellosis eradication program only targets B. abortus.

In addition to the vaccination program carried out by ARS and other agencies, the National Park Service is conducting an environmental impact study on a proposal to spend $9 million for a new brucellosis eradication program in Yellowstone during the next 30 years.

ARS is the principal intramural scientific research agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The results of this study have been published in the journal Vaccine.

— From an ARS release.

— Compiled by Linda Robbins, assistant editor, Angus Productions Inc.