Four beef and lamb exporters from across the UK will join the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) at the Annual Meat Conference (AMC) in Texas this year.
The red meat businesses will be attending the event, which takes place in Nashville from March 18 – 20, with the aim of helping to grow pork, beef and lamb exports.
The exporters and AHDB will also be joined by Hybu Cig Cymru – Meat Promotion Wales (HCC) to showcase the quality and sustainability of red meat products from across the UK.
Three of the export businesses attending the AMC are listed to export pig meat to California further to the state’s introduction of new legislation Proposition 12 on January 1 of this year.
Proposition 12 has established stricter production standards including the provision of greater freedom of movement for pigs. The legislation prevents the sale of pig meat in the state that does not meet the new criteria.
The event is set to host more than 1,900 meat professionals from across the United States, giving UK exporters the opportunity to network, AHDB said.
Annual Meat Conference
AHDB will share a joint stand with HCC at the AMC, and will provide attendees with the chance to sample pork, beef and lamb, as well as watch a butchery demonstration by AHDB’s butcher Martin Eccles.
AHDB senior trade development manager, Susana Morris, said the AMC is a “key event” in the red meat calendar, and provides a platform for UK 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,” she said.
“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.”
Exports to the US
Import volumes of pork in the US are expected to grow, AHDB said, which will present 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,” AHDB said.
“The US is a net importer of lamb and, while consumption per capita is low, there are pockets of high demand,” AHDB said.
“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.”
