Last week, Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue announced the first shipments of fresh U.S. beef to Brazil in 13 years. Brazil had closed its market to U.S. fresh beef in 2003 over concerns about B.S.E. National Cattlemen’s Beef Association President Craig Uden says it’s great to have that market open again and that it’s an important one because the U.S. is sending them high end products.

He says for the U.S. cattle industry to continue to grow and thrive, the U.S. must engage in numerous trade agreements.

Uden says trade is not only critical for all U.S. cattle producers, it’s particularly important for Nebraska as a leading cattle state.

Brazil officially reopened the market to U.S. beef in August of 2016 based on the U.S. classification by the World Organization for Animal Health as negligible country for B.S.E.