Exports critical to U.S. beef industry

ZISK
1 hour ago
1 min read

Value differentiation. The past several columns have followed a thread of value differentiation (see one) and the link to consumer valuation that’s increasingly driven by improved beef quality (see two). On the flipside, the most recent column detailed the absence of consumer prioritization related to country-of-origin labeling (i.e., lack of value differentiation, see three). Those columns were all from a domestic perspective. Let’s round out the discussion with some perspective around international trade.

Overview. The first chart details annual export value during the past several decades. What’s most important is the recent year-over-year decline. Namely, exports to China in 2025 were down 69% compared to 2024 – or nearly $1.1 billion – essentially representing the entire difference in total export value in 2025 versus 2024.

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