Halstrom: Beef Production Drop Offers New Opportunities

U.S. beef production is expected to decrease in 2023, which will impact export volumes.  Despite that, Dan Halstrom U.S. Meat Export Federation President and CEO, said he sees new possibilities for the industry.

“This is an opportunity in 2023, knowing that we will be down on beef production in total, to diversify our portfolio on a product side and provide more options to our customers around the world.”

Halstrom was quick to point out, this drop does not change USMEF’s strategy to be aggressive.

“We're working in markets like Japan, markets like Korea, markets like Mexico, and how do we provide alternatives to our customers in these markets?  Maybe they're used to buying chuck rolls in Japan or Mexico and with production going down we have to provide them alternatives, so we're actively working on that.  Things like shoulder clods are becoming more popular, and things like the gooseneck round or the inner inside round and outside round.  The round complex on the beef side historically is undervalued, so this is an opportunity, irrespective of what's going on with beef production, to provide more options to our customers.”

Halstrom noted pork production is expected to increase this year, coinciding with an expected production decrease in Europe.

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