Strong Start for Beef Variety Meat Exports
There are plenty of bright spots in today’s beef market, and one of the biggest may not be the cuts you typically think about.
Beef variety meats are delivering strong value in 2026. According to the U.S. Meat Export Federation, February exports of products like beef tongues and other variety meats increased 12 percent in volume and surged 40 percent in value compared to a year ago. That builds on momentum from late 2025, when export values set records in both December and January.
USMEF President and CEO Dan Halstrom says, “For beef variety meats, export markets are really the whole ball game, so it’s great to see these products achieve broad-based growth.”
Demand is being led by Japan, with additional gains in Korea, South Africa, and across Latin America, helping offset challenges in China.
Pork exports are holding steady to start the year.
The takeaway is clear. Beef variety meats are delivering real value and becoming an increasingly important part of the global market.
