11/09/07 Trying to export beef to China

Rick Stott says China is a place that his company, Agri Beef wants to do business. STOTT "It is a phenomenal story about free enterprise and about the evolution of that country. Every day we're not there means that we're losing market share and it's ten times more difficult to get it back than just maintain it." The Boise based company wants to export beef to China where there is a growing demand in an ever expanding economy. STOTT "I think there is tremendous opportunity in the upper end restaurants and high end hotels there for a very high quality product and I think as soon as the borders are opened, hopefully that will happen sooner rather than later, the US beef and our beef in particular, Double R Ranch will have a terrific market in that country for very affluent trade that exists there today." Because of BSE and lack of traceability China won't allow US beef into their country but Australia, Argentina and Brazil are sending beef there and Canada is about to. There's an impasse in talks between the US and China and Stott says at this rate it may be two years before America can get an opening into Chinese beef markets. On a positive and more immediate note Stott says Agri Beef is planning on exporting pork to China by next April. Today's Idaho Ag News Bill Scott