Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue said the United States and Japan have agreed on new terms and conditions that eliminate Japan’s longstanding cattle age restriction on U.S. beef exports.  The new terms take effect immediately, allowing American products from all cattle, regardless of age, to enter Japan.  Erin Borrer, economist with the U.S. Meat Export Federation says last year was a good year for beef exports to Japan, topping $2 billion, the largest such figure since the BSE scare of 2003.

 

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“But having cattle from all ages, we’re seeing that potential for $150-$200 million annually in added sales, the biggest increase would probably be in the variety meats category, products that Japan has bought in the past.”

 

An agreement was also announced to have Mexico and Canada remove retaliatory duties on U.S. red meat, which Borrer says could remove an obstacle standing in the way of the USMCA.

 

“Canada, it was just the two cooked beef tariff lines, but a 10% tariff on $168 millino worth of trade did have an impact, and it’s been difficult to get excited about USMCA, so if we are indeed past that hurdle, then it allows the U.S. red meat industry to get fully behind USMCA,” added USMEF’s Erin Borrer.

 

 

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