Market Watch

U.S. pork exports showed modest improvement in September while beef exports endured the most difficult month in some time, according to statistics released by USDA and compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF). September pork export volume was up 6 percent from a year ago to 172,012 metric tons (mt). Export value was $456.1 million, down 11 percent year-over-year but the highest since May. Pork exports through the first nine months of the year declined 4 percent in volume (1.58 million mt) and 17 percent in value ($4.21 billion) compared to January-September 2014. Beef export volume fell 21 percent from a year ago in September to 79,474 metric tons (mt) and value was down 28 percent to $456.6 million – the lowest since January. For the first nine months of 2015, exports were down 12 percent in volume (782,705 mt) and 8 percent in value ($4.8 billion). Exports to Mexico, the leading volume destination for U.S. pork, fell slightly in volume in September but climbed 5 pe...

In an effort to ramp up local and regional food efforts, USDA Market News of the Agricultural Marketing Service is now issuing a local beef report for the state of Vermont each month. Two Market News reporters recently ventured to the Green Mountain State to meet with existing customers and recruit new ones.  Trekking all throughout the state, they visited a total of 10 farms, talked to numerous people about grass-fed beef, and learned about how Market News can better serve this sector of the industry. USDA Market News reporters gather price and volume data from a number of small producers throughout the state, publishing these locally-raised beef prices and offering general commentary about the market in monthly Market News reports. Being the first of its kind, this report is pioneering the way beef is marketed. It provides local price information for farmers, increases transparency in the marketplace, and enables institutions – such as banks and insurance companies – to pro...

Export value for both U.S. beef and pork reached new heights in 2014, posting double-digit gains over the previous year’s totals, according to statistics released by USDA and compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF). Beef export value was $7.13 billion – an increase of 16 percent (and nearly $1 billion) over the previous record set in 2013. Export volume was just under 1.2 million metric tons (mt) – which was short of the 2011 record, but up 2 percent year-over-year. Pork export value totaled $6.67 billion, an increase of 10 percent year-over-year, breaking the 2012 record by 6 percent. Pork export volume increased 2 percent to 2.18 million mt. The volume record is 2.62 million mt, set in 2012. Exports overcame significant challenges to reach these milestones, including market access restrictions in Russia and China, an appreciating U.S. dollar and, most recently, shipping difficulties related to a labor dispute in the West Coast ports. In December, beef export volum...