United States beef exports hit a record for 2017. U.S. Meat Export Federation President and CEO Dan Halstrom says beef exports hit a new level for value, exceeding $7 billion. That’s up 15-percent year-over-year and two percent above the previous high in 2014.
Halstrom says export value per head of fed slaughter cattle exceeded $282, up 9 percent from the 2016 average. Much of this growth is driven by top markets including Japan, South Korea, Mexico and Hong Kong.
Halstrom also cited other factors supporting an upward trend in beef trade, including global economic growth and protein demand, increasing U.S. beef production and the recent strengthening of key currencies versus the U.S. dollar.
Beef exports totaled 1.26 million metric tons by volume, up six percent from 2016 and the fourth largest volume on record.
