Disappointment at USMEF over tariff imposition
The US Meat Export Federation (USMEF) has issued a statement in response to the imposition on March 4 of additional US tariffs of 25% on virtually all imports from Canada and Mexico, and additional tariffs of 10% on all US imports from China.
USMEF chief executive, Dan Halstrom, said the organisation was disappointed that the tariffs had come into force. He pointed out that Canada, Mexico and China accounted for $8.4 billion in US red meat exports in 2024, including nearly $4 billion in exports to Mexico.
He said a large share of this revenue came from exporting “under-utilised cuts and variety meats (offal)” and that selling these products to customers in export markets helped producers in the US “maximise the value of every animal produced”.
Mr Halstrom went on to explain that US beef exports contributed value equivalent to $415 for every steer or heifer slaughtered in the US in 2024.
