CALF_News_December_2020_January_2021

19 CALF News • December 2020 | January 2021 • www.calfnews.net the beta-agonist ractopamine out of the country. A major market for U.S. beef is Mexico, where social media is also helping USMEF reach consumers. Federation representative Letica Flores, “Zooming” from Mexico City, said there are about 62 million smartphone users in Mexico. Through cooperation withWalmart, HEB and other stores, USMEF is running ads on WhatsApp, a hugely popular app in Mexico.“Pre- packaged meals and recipes are being promoted,” she said. Dan Halstrom, USMEF president in Denver, said about “80 federation team members work diligently in 18 locations around the world to represent beef, pork and lamb. They’re on the ground to represent you [producers and feeders] every day.” Halstrom said the China factor involving meet exports “is always disrup- tive,” adding that African Swine Flu (ASF) and its impact on pork producing countries will potentially create more markets for U.S. pork and beef. Halstrom said that after the United Kingdom’s Brexit from the European Union, expect to see more U.S. trade negotiations with the UK. That should put even more teeth in U.S. beef exports, which add more than $320 to the value of one fed steer. Pat Binger was elected USMEF chairman for 2021. The 33-year veteran of red meat trade for Cargill Animal Protein said USMEF is well-positioned going forward.“We have to be nimble and manage through continued disrup- tion and possible change [from COVID- caused issues],” he said. “About 90 percent of our export beef goes to seven countries. We need to defend our core business there,” along with making new headway into emerg- ing markets in Southeast Asia, Central America, South America and elsewhere. Binger said the industry’s the utiliza- tion of the entire beef carcass needs to expand through more product mixes. “We use 100 percent of what we pro- duce but need to see an increased value for those cuts,” he said. Trade Under Biden The tariff wars, created mainly by industrial trade policies between China and the U.S., caused painful Chinese retaliation against American ag prod- ucts. Farmers were often the fall guys after China set high tariffs against soy- ® Bieber Fever S pring B ull p roduction S ale M arch 4, 2021 o nline or in perSon at the r anch near l eola , Sd Visit our website www.BieberRedAngus.com to join our mailing list. W e ' ve got a fever . . . . . . and the only preScription iS to Buy B ieBer ! 275 y earling r ed a nguS B ullS Sired By S tockMarket e119, S tockMan e116, t iBeriuS e254, M axiMuS e294, S partacuS a193, h ard d rive y120, and p rofitMaker e7030 beans and other products. Major farm subsidies helped ease the blow from the crash in grain and meat prices. But there are concerns among foreign trade groups, according to two interna- tional marketing authorities who spoke during the USMEF sessions. Sharon Bomer Lauritsen, a long-time U.S. agri- cultural trade policy consultant, said the World Trade Organization (WTO) has complained about the excessive market assistance programs for farmers. Continued on page 21  Pat Binger