Source: Oklahoma Farm Report | April 24, 2019
Greg Hanes is currently vice president for international marketing programs with the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF). However, come June, Hanes will transition into a new role with the Cattlemen’s Beef Board just recently announced as chief executive officer. During the Texas & Southwest Cattle Raisers Association meeting, he sat down with Radio Oklahoma Ag Network Farm Director Ron Hays to talk about some of the global opportunities he sees ahead for the US beef industry.
“I think there is still huge potential in Asia. We’ve seen great growth there in Japan, Korea, Taiwan – we’re seeing a little bit more in Southeast Asia. China is always out there. So, I think those hold a lot of potential going forward, especially if we get some of these trade deals,” Hanes said. “But, then we’ve got these other markets too… South America, Central America… We’re now also looking at areas like South Africa. There’s always new markets that are popping up, so we’re looking at those and trying to maintain and grow these large ones.”
Essentially, Hanes says the whole world is a potentially new target market for US beef, including Europe which he believes is moving slowly towards making some decisions that will foster more opportunity there as well. And to its credit, the US beef industry hasn’t sat idly by. Just the opposite in fact. Hanes explained that several state beef councils contribute additional funding to the USMEF’s foreign marketing efforts to support the work they do worldwide. Without those extra contributions from states like Oklahoma, Hanes says their work wouldn’t be as potent as it is today.
“We’re able to leverage that with our government funding that we get through the USDA. A lot of corn states are contributing additional dollars, so we can leverage it with those too,” he explained. “So, your one-dollar contribution now has a $9 or $10 impact in the markets. It’s hugely impactful for what we’re doing.”
Listen to Hanes’ full conversation with Hays about some of the global opportunities for US beef, on the April 24 Beef Buzz, below.
The Beef Buzz is a regular feature heard on radio stations around the region on the Radio Oklahoma Network and is a regular audio feature found on this website as well. Click on the LISTEN BAR below for today’s show and check out our archives for older Beef Buzz shows covering the gamut of the beef cattle industry today.