U.S. Beef, Pork Exports Slip
After Strong Showing Earlier

STILLWATER, Okla. — Recently released data for August shows that both beef and pork exports were below year-earlier figures, according to the Livestock Marketing Information Center's Oct. 25 Livestock Monitor.

For the first five months of 1996, American red meat exports posted large year-over-year gains. Since June, however, red meat exports have been lackluster, said Derrell Peel, Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service livestock marketing specialist.

"Stocks of red meat in Japan, America's largest foreign meat market, have increased in recent months, helping to reduce demand for additional U.S. beef and pork exports," Peel said.

Peel said recent food safety issues in Japan likely have played a role, even though no problems have been attributed to U.S. products.

"When you have a food scare, all products of that particular type usually are affected to a greater or lesser degree, whether it happens in Japan, the United States or some other country," he explained.

"When an E-coli outbreak occurred at a restaurant in the northwestern United States a few years back, consumer wariness did not just affect hamburgers sold through that franchise chain, but through all restaurants; it even brought about new federal regulations that target all aspects of food processing and sales."

LMIC data indicates that U.S. beef exports in August totaled more than 150 million pounds, 16 percent less than the 1995 August figure. But the news was not all bad. Beef exports for August 1996 still were 37 percent above the 1990-1994 average for the month.

"In all, U.S. beef exports to Japan during August declined 23 percent compared to last year," Peel said. "U.S. pork exports to Japan in August declined 16 percent compared to the 1995 monthly figure."

For the month of August, total U.S. pork exports were seven percent less than for August 1995. However, LMIC data shows that American pork exports were up more than 200 percent compared to the 1990-1994 average for the month of August.

"Overall, the U.S. beef and pork industries still are in fairly favorable positions," Peel said. "It's true exports have declined, but it's far from being a panic situation; total beef and pork exports for the year are still up from last year in spite of recent month-to-month declines."

Peel said Japan's recent food safety concerns provide evidence of the volatility of export markets and the ongoing challenge of developing U.S. meat exports.