U.S. Red Meat Industry Commemorates 45 Years in Japan

Leaders representing the U.S. red meat industry recently traveled to Tokyo to commemorate the 45th anniversary of the inaugural U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) office, which opened in Tokyo in 1977. Japan has consistently been a top customer and is the leading international market for U.S. red meat, purchasing nearly $4.1 billion in 2021. Through July 2022, U.S. red meat exports to Japan reached $2.4 billion.

The U.S.-Japan trade partnership is highly valued by those in the U.S. pork, beef and lamb industries. While in Tokyo for meetings, market visits and a celebration event attended by 200 importers, distributors, trade media and U.S. exporters, industry representatives expressed appreciation for the business relationships developed over the past 45 years and expressed a commitment to serve the Japanese market well into the future.

Industry representatives participating were: USMEF Chair Mark Swanson of Fort Collins, Colo., founder of Tru Grit KGMS Enterprises LLC; Dean Meyer, USMEF chair-elect and livestock and grain producer from Rock Rapids, Iowa; Norman Voyles, Cattlemen's Beef Board chair and beef producer from Martinsville, Ind.; Dan Gattis, Texas Beef Council chair and rancher and attorney from Georgetown, Texas; Molly McAdams, executive vice president of the Texas Beef Council; and Craig Floss, CEO of the Iowa Corn Promotion Board.