On Friday, South Korea announced a partial re-opening of its market to U.S. beef. While this is a positive step, NCBA Vice President of Government Affairs Jay Truitt says cattlemen are disappointed by the exclusion of bone-in product and limitations on variety meats. 

Cut #1         :19         Outcue: "...in the future."

Truitt says these restrictions, especially the exclusion of short ribs, could limit the South Korean market to about half of its previously level of U.S. beef imports.

Cut #2         :17         Outcue: "...move in there."

Truitt said that South Korea fortunately did not adopt the under-21-months age restriction that Japan imposed on U.S. exports, but has built in other roadblocks that he finds frustrating.

Cut #3         :23          Outcue: "...bit of pause.”

Soon, the United States and South Korea are expected to announced opening of free trade agreement talks. Truitt says NCBA will not be supportive unless South Korea shows more movement on fully resuming beef imports.

Cut #4         :23          Outcue: "...we already had.”

Truitt says cattlemen should be encouraged by the progress made so far in regaining export market access, but can’t be satisfied until they have fully reclaimed their beef export peak of nearly $4 billion annually.

Cut #5         :23          Outcue: "... entire $3.9 billion market.”