What is USMEF?
USMEF is the most vertically integrated trade association in the meat and livestock industry. USMEF represents beef/veal producers and feeders, pork producers and feeders, lamb producers and feeders, packers and processors, purveyors and traders, oilseeds producers, feedgrains producers, farm organizations and supply and service organizations.

What is the mission of USMEF?
The mission of USMEF is “to increase the value and profitability of the U.S. beef, pork, and lamb industries by enhancing demand for their products in export markets through a dynamic partnership of all stakeholders.” Simply put, USMEF is “Putting U.S. Meat On The World’s Table.”

Where is USMEF Located?
Headquartered in Denver, USMEF has offices in Seoul, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Singapore, Taipei, Moscow, St. Petersburg, Mexico City, Monterrey and Brussels. USMEF also has special market representatives covering areas of China, Europe, the Middle East, Central and South America and the Caribbean.

How does USMEF increase U.S. red meat exports?
USMEF carries out market development activities in more than 80 countries. These activities fall into these primary areas:

• Marketing - Creating demand in international markets for U.S. meat through promotions, trade seminars, consumer education, advertising and public relations.
• Trade Servicing - Working to bring buyer and seller together and by conducting both market and product research.
• Market Access - Providing the U.S. government and industry with the market intelligence necessary to secure, maintain and develop fair and reasonable access to international markets.

How is USMEF funded?
USMEF is funded from a variety of sources, including membership dues, private contributions and beef, pork, lamb, corn, sorghum and soybean checkoff programs. In addition, as a cooperator with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, USMEF also receives funds through Market Access, Emerging Market and Foreign Market Development programs.

How do red meat exports benefit the industry?

Beef:

• After achieving exports of nearly 1.3 million metric tons valued at more than $3.8 billion in 2003, in 2008, 93 percent of the 2003 export value was recovered. The U.S. beef industry continues to rebuild its export business after BSE was discovered in the United States. To date, only two endemic cases have been discovered and the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) classifies the United States as a “controlled risk” country, from which all beef and beef products can be exported freely. Still, not all importing countries allow such free movement of products.
• In 2008, beef and beef variety meat exports amounted to 984,712 mt worth $3.62 billion, up 28 percent and 38 percent, respectively, from 2007. 
• The top 10 exported beef cuts represent 85 percent of total U.S. beef exports.

Pork:

• In 2008, the U.S. exported more than 2 million mt of pork and pork variety meat, valued at more than $4.8 billion, up 57 percent in volume and 55 percent in value from 2007.
• 2008 was the 18^th year of consecutive growth in pork exports and the 17^th consecutive record.
• In 2008, U.S. pork exports accounted for more than 24 percent of its domestic pork production.
• Industry studies suggest U.S. pork exports added as much as $42 per head in added value.

Lamb:

• U.S. lamb and mutton (including variety meat) exports fell 17 percent in 2008 compared to 2007, totaling 17,641 mt, worth more than $25 million.

Feedgrain and Oilseeds:

• Every metric ton of red meat, on average, utilizes about 5.7 pounds of corn and 1.3 pounds of soybeans.
• USMEF estimates that more than 470 million bushels of corn and 80 million bushels of soybeans were exported through U.S. red meat exports in 2008.