Colombia Lifts Restrictions On U.S. Beef

After five months, Colombia has lifted restrictions on imports of U.S. beef related to highly pathogenic avian influenza in dairy cattle.  Prior to the ban, U.S. beef was exporting roughly $3 million per day to Colombia.  When the ban started, that figure dropped to $1 million per day in the Central America country.

“Needless to say, we're extremely happy and appreciative to USDA and USTR for their efforts to regain access for U.S. beef into Colombia," said U.S. Meat Export Federation President and CEO Dan Halstrom.  "You know, the reality is that science was on our side, and ultimately that prevailed. And it wasn't easy, but kudos to our government for staying with it and getting us back in with full access to Colombia on beef.”

Halstrom said now the work begins to regain market share.

“The U.S. isn't the only one that's figured out the value of these exports around the world," Halstrom noted.  "And in the case of Colombia, you know, we were running at a clip of $3 million a month of exports, and then post April, when we had these restrictions, we're down to less than a million dollars per month. And other markets, competitors such as Canada, took advantage of that, and so it's really exciting that we're back to full access, and we can now concentrate on regaining that lost market share.”

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