Red meat exporters head west to make the most of the land of opportunity

Four beef and lamb exporters from across the UK will join AHDB and Hybu Cig Cymru – Meat Promotion Wales (HCC) – at the Annual Meat Conference (AMC) in Tennessee, to showcase the high quality and sustainability of red meat products from the UK.

Three of the export businesses are listed to export pig meat to California, further to the state’s introduction of new legislation Proposition 12 on 1 January this year. Proposition 12 has established stricter production standards, including the provision of greater freedom of movement for pigs. The legislation prevents the sale in the state of pig meat that does not meet the new criteria.

The exhibition, which takes place in Nashville on 18–20 March 2024, will provide UK exporters with the opportunity to network with more than 1,900 meat professionals from across the USA.

We will share a joint stand with HCC, providing key US retailers with the chance to sample pork, beef and lamb, as well as watch a butchery demonstration by AHDB’s master butcher Martin Eccles.

Our prospects for UK agri-food exports analysis has highlighted opportunities for UK pork, beef and lamb in the US market in the next decade.

Import volumes of pork in the US are expected to grow, presenting opportunities for premium UK product with high-welfare and outdoor-bred being key factors.

The main opportunity for UK beef is in products that are differentiated from domestic US production such as grass-fed and hormone-free.

The US is a net importer of lamb and, while consumption per capita is low, there are pockets of high demand. The US lamb market has been estimated to be worth £37million to the UK in the first five years of trade, with the first shipment of lamb having been sent in October 2022.

Susana Morris, AHDB Senior Trade Development Manager, said:

“AMC is a key event in the red meat calendar, providing a platform for our exporters to meet with key industry stakeholders in the US and explore opportunities for high-quality UK beef, lamb and pork.

“The US presents a number of opportunities for our red meat exporters. Quality and ‘naturalness’ are important to US consumers, with the UK’s high-quality sustainably produced red meat ideally placed to satisfy that demand.

“We look forward to a successful event providing insight into market trends in the US and to continue working collaboratively with industry and government to help develop opportunities for our levy payers.

“Our levy payers have told us how much they value our work on export development. Our aim, on their behalf, is to ensure our world class red meat products from the UK are showcased on the global stage and remain front of mind in export markets.”