July 2, 2009
South Dakota corn sector to support red meat exports
The corn industry in South Dakota has partnered with the US Meat Export Federation (USMEF) in order to support red meat exports.
South Dakota has about 230,000 cattle on feed and nearly 1.4 million hogs and pigs.
With a relatively stagnant beef and pork consumption in the US, South Dakota corn industry leaders realised that their greatest hope for higher sales and growth is through the export market, and that has developed into a partnership with the USMEF.
The livestock feeding industry is the largest customer for the corn industry, said David Fremark, president of the South Dakota Corn Utilisation Council.
Meat is the value-added product that is created with corn, and the value stays when US beef and pork are exported, Fremark added.
USMEF will implement trade access and promotional programmes in key international markets. For the past nine years, South Dakota corn has contributed in excess of US$1 million to the organisation to support export-oriented programmes, according to Lisa Richardson, executive director of the South Dakota Corn Growers Association.
Fremark said they have to export meat to foreign countries in order to increase profitability through increased sales, and that is the only hope in improving profits in the current economic climate.
