1998 News Archive
BACKGROUNDER: BEEF INDUSTRY TRADE
There has been a lot of discussion recently about the impact of trade on the beef industry. Some have expressed concern about the impact of NAFTA on the U.S. market. Most of the increase in trade flows between North American trading partners can be traced to the implementation of the U.S./Canada Free Trade Agreement in 1989 and NAFTA in 1994. The elimination of most tariffs on trade in live cattle, beef and beef by-products under those agreements has resulted in increased trade between the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.
Many factors influence the volume of exports and imports. In 1998, the most significant factor has been the strength of the U.S. dollar which has resulted in more U.S. beef imports. Compared to a year ago, the U.S. dollar has risen 28% against the New Zealand dollar, 20% against the Australian dollar and 8% against the Canadian dollar. The increase in the value of the dollar relative to Asian currencies and the economic crisis in Asia have made it more difficult to export U.S. beef and beef by-products to Asia.
The value of U.S. live cattle and beef exports has grown from $589 million in 1985 to $2.674 billion in 1997. The U.S. is a net exporter of beef, live cattle, variety meats and by-products on a value basis. The trade surplus (exports minus imports) for beef, live cattle, beef variety meat and beef by-products was $1.8 billion in 1997.
Net imports of beef and live cattle on a volume basis in 1996 and 1997 were the lowest since the mid-1960’s.
Trade policy is a high priority for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. NCBA is working to:
- Pass legislation in Congress to implement import labeling and to require price reporting of all boxed beef prices and price and volume information for all beef exports and imports.
- Keep illegal Australian feeder cattle from entering the U.S. through Mexico.
- Coordinate with USDA and the U.S. Trade Representative to ensure that Korea lives up to its import commitments.
- Secure funding for the International Monetary Fund to stabilize the Asian economies.
- Reduce trade tariffs for beef sold to China.
Recent trade successes include:
- Secured a pilot agreement with Canada to allow more imports of U.S. feeder cattle.
- Won a World Trade Organization case against the European Union regarding the unfair trade barrier on U.S. beef. NCBA continues to pressure the European Union to abide by the ruling.
In addition, the Meat Export Federation has used beef checkoff dollars in marketing programs that have dramatically increased U.S. beef exports.
Import and Export Fact Sheet
All tonnage figures are carcass weight equivalent
|
|
|
Imports from Canada |
|
Imports from Mexico |
|
U.S.
Average
Carcass
Weight
(lbs) |
|
Live
Cattle
Imports
from
Canada
(head) |
Live
Cattle
Beef
Equiv-
alent
(mil lbs) |
Beef
Product
Imports
from
Canada
(mil lbs) |
Total
Beef
Imports
from
Canada
(mil lbs) |
|
Live
Cattle
Imports
from
Canada
(head) |
Live
Cattle
Beef
Equiv-
alent
(mil lbs) |
Beef
Product
Imports
from
Mexico
(mil lbs) |
Total
Beef
Imports
from
Mexico
(mil lbs) |
|
1985 |
649 |
|
338,320 |
220 |
240 |
460 |
|
476,478 |
309 |
n/a* |
309 |
|
1986 |
649 |
|
227,538 |
148 |
213 |
361 |
|
1,155,931 |
750 |
n/a* |
750 |
|
1987 |
657 |
|
244,710 |
161 |
191 |
351 |
|
934,932 |
614 |
n/a* |
614 |
|
1988 |
668 |
|
476,707 |
318 |
172 |
490 |
|
841,285 |
562 |
n/a* |
562 |
|
1989 |
678 |
|
574,788 |
390 |
239 |
629 |
|
873,388 |
592 |
n/a* |
592 |
|
1990 |
681 |
|
854,468 |
582 |
222 |
804 |
|
1,261,107 |
859 |
n/a* |
859 |
|
1991 |
697 |
|
904,688 |
631 |
223 |
854 |
|
1,034,185 |
721 |
n/a* |
721 |
|
1992 |
699 |
|
1,270,556 |
888 |
321 |
1,209 |
|
981,719 |
686 |
n/a* |
686 |
|
1993 |
688 |
|
1,202,271 |
827 |
407 |
1,235 |
|
1,296,609 |
892 |
n/a* |
892 |
|
1994 |
709 |
|
1,010,299 |
716 |
463 |
1,179 |
|
1,072,126 |
760 |
n/a* |
760 |
|
1995 |
705 |
|
1,132,691 |
799 |
446 |
1,244 |
|
1,653,408 |
1,166 |
n/a* |
1,166 |
|
1996 |
695 |
|
1,509,136 |
1,049 |
586 |
1,635 |
|
456,246 |
317 |
n/a* |
317 |
|
1997 |
700 |
|
1,376,814 |
964 |
711 |
1,675 |
|
669,409 |
469 |
n/a* |
469 |
|
|
|
Imports from other countries |
|
Import summary |
|
U.S.
Average
Carcass
Weight
(lbs) |
|
Live
Cattle
Imports
from
Australia
(mil lbs) |
Beef
Product
Imports
from New
Zealand
(mil lbs) |
Beef
Product
Imports
Other
(mil lbs) |
|
Total
Beef
Imports
from
Live
Cattle
(mil lbs) |
Total
U.S.
Beef
Imports
(mil lbs) |
Total
Beef
Imports
from
All
Sources
(mil lbs) |
|
1985 |
649 |
|
795 |
516 |
539 |
|
529 |
2,091 |
2,619 |
|
1986 |
649 |
|
947 |
509 |
487 |
|
898 |
2,156 |
3,054 |
|
1987 |
657 |
|
997 |
613 |
493 |
|
775 |
2,294 |
3,069 |
|
1988 |
668 |
|
1,081 |
641 |
511 |
|
880 |
2,406 |
3,286 |
|
1989 |
678 |
|
818 |
658 |
462 |
|
982 |
2,178 |
3,160 |
|
1990 |
681 |
|
1,084 |
578 |
471 |
|
1,441 |
2,356 |
3,797 |
|
1991 |
697 |
|
1,048 |
636 |
499 |
|
1,351 |
2,406 |
3,758 |
|
1992 |
699 |
|
1,012 |
639 |
468 |
|
1,574 |
2,440 |
4,014 |
|
1993 |
688 |
|
906 |
562 |
526 |
|
1,719 |
2,401 |
4,121 |
|
1994 |
709 |
|
876 |
528 |
504 |
|
1,476 |
2,371 |
3,847 |
|
1995 |
705 |
|
670 |
579 |
408 |
|
1,964 |
2,103 |
4,068 |
|
1996 |
695 |
|
545 |
504 |
438 |
|
1,366 |
2,072 |
3,438 |
|
1997 |
700 |
|
639 |
576 |
416 |
|
1,432 |
2,343 |
3,775 |
|
|
Live cattle exports |
|
Exports to various countries |
|
|
Total
U.S.
Live
Cattle
Exports
(head) |
Live
Cattle
Beef
Equiv-
alent
(mil lbs) |
|
U.S.
Beef
Product
Exports
to
Canada
(mil lbs) |
U.S.
Beef
Product
Exports
to
Mexico
(mil lbs) |
U.S.
Beef
Product
Exports
to
Japan
(mil lbs) |
U.S.
Beef
Product
Exports
to S. Korea
(mil lbs) |
U.S.
Beef
Product
Exports
to
Other
(mil lbs) |
|
1985 |
|
124,714 |
81 |
|
25 |
5 |
260 |
3 |
39 |
|
1986 |
|
107,847 |
70 |
|
20 |
1 |
354 |
1 |
149 |
|
1987 |
|
130,698 |
86 |
|
37 |
11 |
397 |
1 |
166 |
|
1988 |
|
321,449 |
215 |
|
53 |
37 |
503 |
16 |
80 |
|
1989 |
|
169,140 |
115 |
|
98 |
75 |
716 |
58 |
76 |
|
1990 |
|
119,914 |
82 |
|
191 |
73 |
574 |
98 |
70 |
|
1991 |
|
310,962 |
217 |
|
259 |
173 |
534 |
150 |
73 |
|
1992 |
|
321,790 |
225 |
|
249 |
195 |
629 |
165 |
86 |
|
1993 |
|
153,416 |
106 |
|
244 |
120 |
720 |
116 |
76 |
|
1994 |
|
230,791 |
164 |
|
286 |
223 |
832 |
177 |
92 |
|
1995 |
|
94,548 |
67 |
|
312 |
92 |
1,004 |
272 |
140 |
|
1996 |
|
174,307 |
121 |
|
295 |
172 |
1,016 |
204 |
191 |
|
1997 |
|
280,344 |
196 |
|
282 |
312 |
1,053 |
261 |
221 |
|
|
Export summary |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
Beef
Exports
from
Live
Cattle
(mil lbs) |
Total
U.S.
Beef
Product
Exports
(mil lbs) |
Total
Beef
Exports
from
All
Sources
(mil lbs) |
|
Net
Beef
Imports
from
All
Sources
(mil lbs) |
|
Imports
from
Canada
as % of
Total U.S.
Exports
(pct) |
|
1985 |
|
81 |
332 |
413 |
|
2,207 |
|
111% |
|
1986 |
|
70 |
526 |
596 |
|
2,458 |
|
61% |
|
1987 |
|
86 |
611 |
697 |
|
2,372 |
|
50% |
|
1988 |
|
215 |
690 |
905 |
|
2,381 |
|
54% |
|
1989 |
|
115 |
1,023 |
1,137 |
|
2,023 |
|
55% |
|
1990 |
|
82 |
1,006 |
1,088 |
|
2,709 |
|
74% |
|
1991 |
|
217 |
1,189 |
1,405 |
|
2,353 |
|
61% |
|
1992 |
|
225 |
1,324 |
1,549 |
|
2,465 |
|
78% |
|
1993 |
|
106 |
1,275 |
1,381 |
|
2,740 |
|
89% |
|
1994 |
|
164 |
1,611 |
1,774 |
|
2,073 |
|
66% |
|
1995 |
|
67 |
1,821 |
1,887 |
|
2,180 |
|
66% |
|
1996 |
|
121 |
1,878 |
1,999 |
|
1,439 |
|
82% |
|
1997 |
|
196 |
2,130 |
2,326 |
|
1,449 |
|
72% |
|
U.S. beef imports by country (mil lbs)
Canada and Mexico totals include beef equivalent from live cattle imports |
|
Canada |
Mexico |
Australia |
New
Zealand |
Other |
Total |
|
1985 |
460 |
309 |
795 |
516 |
539 |
2,619 |
|
1986 |
361 |
750 |
947 |
509 |
487 |
3,054 |
|
1987 |
351 |
614 |
997 |
613 |
493 |
3,069 |
|
1988 |
490 |
562 |
1,081 |
641 |
511 |
3,286 |
|
1989 |
629 |
592 |
818 |
658 |
462 |
3,160 |
|
1990 |
804 |
859 |
1,084 |
578 |
471 |
3,797 |
|
1991 |
854 |
721 |
1,048 |
636 |
499 |
3,758 |
|
1992 |
1,209 |
686 |
1,012 |
639 |
468 |
4,014 |
|
1993 |
1,235 |
892 |
906 |
562 |
526 |
4,121 |
|
1994 |
1,179 |
760 |
876 |
528 |
504 |
3,847 |
|
1995 |
1,244 |
1,166 |
670 |
579 |
408 |
4,068 |
|
1996 |
1,635 |
317 |
545 |
504 |
438 |
3,438 |
|
1997 |
1,675 |
469 |
639 |
576 |
416 |
3,775 |
|
U.S. beef exports by country (mil lbs) |
|
Canada |
Mexico |
Japan |
South
Korea |
Other |
Live
Cattle |
Total |
|
1985 |
25 |
5 |
260 |
3 |
39 |
81 |
413 |
|
1986 |
20 |
1 |
354 |
1 |
149 |
70 |
596 |
|
1987 |
37 |
11 |
397 |
1 |
166 |
86 |
697 |
|
1988 |
53 |
37 |
503 |
16 |
80 |
215 |
905 |
|
1989 |
98 |
75 |
716 |
58 |
76 |
115 |
1,137 |
|
1990 |
191 |
73 |
574 |
98 |
70 |
82 |
1,088 |
|
1991 |
259 |
173 |
534 |
150 |
73 |
217 |
1,405 |
|
1992 |
249 |
195 |
629 |
165 |
86 |
225 |
1,549 |
|
1993 |
244 |
120 |
720 |
116 |
76 |
106 |
1,381 |
|
1994 |
286 |
223 |
832 |
177 |
92 |
164 |
1,774 |
|
1995 |
312 |
92 |
1,004 |
272 |
140 |
67 |
1,887 |
|
1996 |
295 |
172 |
1,016 |
204 |
191 |
121 |
1,999 |
|
1997 |
282 |
312 |
1,053 |
261 |
221 |
196 |
2,326 |
|
U.S. beef import and export summary (mil lbs) |
|
Total
Beef
Imports |
Total
Beef
Exports |
Net
Beef
Imports |
|
1985 |
2,619 |
413 |
2,207 |
|
1986 |
3,054 |
596 |
2,458 |
|
1987 |
3,069 |
697 |
2,372 |
|
1988 |
3,286 |
905 |
2,381 |
|
1989 |
3,160 |
1,137 |
2,023 |
|
1990 |
3,797 |
1,088 |
2,709 |
|
1991 |
3,758 |
1,405 |
2,353 |
|
1992 |
4,014 |
1,549 |
2,465 |
|
1993 |
4,121 |
1,381 |
2,740 |
|
1994 |
3,847 |
1,774 |
2,073 |
|
1995 |
4,068 |
1,887 |
2,180 |
|
1996 |
3,438 |
1,999 |
1,439 |
|
1997 |
3,775 |
2,326 |
1,449 |
|
Import and export value factsheet |
|
Total
Beef and
Live Cattle
Export
Value
($ mil) |
Total
Beef and
Live Cattle
Import
Value
($ mil) |
Trade
Surplus
(Deficit)
($ mil) |
|
Total Beef,
Live Cattle
Byproduct
and Hide
Export
Value
($ mil) |
Total Beef,
Live Cattle
Byproduct
and Hide
Import
Value
($ mil) |
Trade
Surplus
(Deficit)
($ mil) |
|
1985 |
$589 |
$1,583 |
($993) |
|
$2,397 |
$1,612 |
$785 |
|
1986 |
$745 |
$1,730 |
($984) |
|
$2,605 |
$1,752 |
$853 |
|
1987 |
$876 |
$1,984 |
($1,107) |
|
$2,884 |
$2,003 |
$881 |
|
1988 |
$1,311 |
$2,278 |
($966) |
|
$3,683 |
$2,306 |
$1,377 |
|
1989 |
$1,527 |
$2,302 |
($775) |
|
$3,577 |
$2,351 |
$1,226 |
|
1990 |
$1,669 |
$2,840 |
($1,171) |
|
$3,604 |
$2,890 |
$714 |
|
1991 |
$1,945 |
$2,913 |
($968) |
|
$3,749 |
$3,004 |
$745 |
|
1992 |
$2,236 |
$3,123 |
($887) |
|
$4,157 |
$3,240 |
$916 |
|
1993 |
$2,119 |
$3,276 |
($1,157) |
|
$3,967 |
$3,408 |
$559 |
|
1994 |
$2,489 |
$2,950 |
($461) |
|
$4,477 |
$3,095 |
$1,382 |
|
1995 |
$2,733 |
$2,860 |
($127) |
|
$5,227 |
$3,000 |
$2,227 |
|
1996 |
$2,543 |
$2,462 |
$80 |
|
$4,767 |
$2,608 |
$2,158 |
|
1997 |
$2,674 |
$2,734 |
($60) |
|
$4,718 |
$2,898 |
$1,820 |
|
|
Source: USDA
Note: All totals include beef equivalent of live cattle trade.Live imports converted to beef equivalent using USDA all cattle carcass weights. |
-- NCBA --
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