China still the sticking point for US beef exports in H1

07/08/2026

Beef exports from the US reached just over 545,000 tonnes in the first half of 2026, down by 9% compared to the same period last year.

In terms of revenue, these shipments brought in almost $4.75 billion, which is down by 4% year on year. According to the US Meat Export Federation (USMEF), much of this decline was because of continued impasse when it comes to exporting beef to China.