US Meat Export Federation

The U.S. Meat Export Federation just finished its first major marketing events for U.S. beef in China, which recently reopened to U.S. beef after a 13-year absence from the market.

Joel Haggard, with the U.S. Meat Export Federation explains that although China officially opened to U.S. beef in June, the first sea shipments only recently arrived in the market and most Chinese buyers have had very little direct exposure to the product.

"It's still very early and then development of us beef in China for just at the stage now where some see shipments are starting to arrive and clear the quality of the products been very good some of the early air chilled shipments of prime beef for warmly received."

To bring qualified Chinese buyers and U.S. exporters together, U.S. Meat Export Federation conducted a trade show in each of China's three largest cities - calling them the "U.S. Beef Roadshow."

"This shows off the product and hopefully bring a greater awareness to the importers."

In June, China lifted a 13-year ban on U.S. beef, and ranchers have been anxious to move into the market. That's because China is the world's second largest beef consuming nation. China actually imported 825,000 tons of beef in 2016.