February 18, 2014  

Australian delegates visit US on grass-fed beef opportunities

Between January 31 and February 8, 2014, a delegation comprising of Central Queensland Producers, Howard Smith and Ian McCamley, and staff from the Cattle Council of Australia visited Washington DC and Nashville to investigate market opportunities for grass-fed beef.

According to Meat and Livestock Australia, the US is Australia's second largest beef export market by volume, with shipments in 2013 reaching 212,703 tonnes swt, valued at about AUD1 billion (US$ 904.5 million) free on board (FOB), with 70% of this being manufacturing beef. Frozen grass-fed beef continues to make up a majority of Australian beef sent to the US. However, chilled beef exports have been on the rise for the past decade.

The Cattle Council of Australia has developed the Pasturefed Cattle Assurance System (PCAS), which is an assurance programme that enables the industry to prove claims relating to pasture-fed or grass-fed production methods. One of the objectives of the trip was to investigate the possibility of PCAS becoming verified by the USDA, which would provide another level of assurance for importers about the quality and providence of Australian product.

The trip also coincided with the US National Cattlemen's Beef Association Conference in Nashville. The delegation took the opportunity to meet with key figures in the US beef industry including Executive Staff and past and present Presidents of the NCBA. Attending the conference had further significance for the Cattle Council given its recent announcement of direct membership.