One of the U.S. Meat Export Federation?s goals for 2022 is to continue education efforts across the world when it comes to informing consumers about the benefits of U.S. red meat products.
Dan Halstrom, USMEF president and CEO, tells the Iowa Agribusiness Radio Network that his organization has approximately 80-to-85 representatives around the globe in 19 regions. This gives them the ability to interact and build relationships with consumers.
?Our largest presence is in Asia,? said Halstrom. ?It?s one of our largest areas of destinations for exports: Japan, Korea, etc. And then we also have offices in places like Peru. We have an office in Colombia. We also have a gentleman in South Africa that is starting to work the African markets. That?s almost as important as the large markets because what you are doing is not spending a lot of money on promotion in a place like Durban, South Africa. You are spending a lot of money on people to go out and tell our story.?
Halstrom says USMEF hopes to enhance the country?s reputation as the global leader in food safety. This was especially important during times such as the coronavirus pandemic.
?It?s the foundation of what we do. And then we?re talking about the eating experience on top of that. We have a very unique product, unlike most sources of beef in the world. One of the largest global competitors of bovine in the world is Indian buffalo meat. You?re talking about two entirely different types of bovine there, so we?re not competing against them. Our price is three-to-four times higher than Indian buffalo meat, but the experience is entirely different. This is the sort of thing we are explaining to consumers around the world.?
Halstrom adds its vital for the U.S. to have trusted relationships with not only consumers, but also with key pieces of the supply chain.
?The other big thing we do each and every day with our infrastructure of offices around the world is we?re developing relationships with the trade. We?re talking importers, distributors, retailers, foodservice, etc. In a nutshell, that?s what we?re doing each and every day.?
Halstrom made his comments during the 2022 NCBA Convention in Houston, Texas.
