US cattle industry “struggling”; Japan relaxes import rules
08/02/2013
Scott George, incoming president of the National Cattlemen's Beef Association, said: "We are probably going to see some consolidation, economics will dictate that."
Agribusiness giant Cargill, one of the US's largest beef processors, is closing its Plainview beef plant. "That closure has a domino effect because the feedlots that were supplying that plant are now faced with escalating costs to move their cattle to another harvest facility," said Mr George.
"The overall assessment of the industry is that we're struggling, that's all there is to it. The drought is having a huge impact on us."
However, there was some good news this week as Japan relaxed its rules on US cattle imports, allowing beef from older cattle for the first time in 10 years, following an outbreak of mad cow disease in 2003.
It will allow US, Canadian and French beef imports from cattle up to 30 months old; previously the age limit was 20 months.
Share this story:
