USMEF Elects New Officer Team, Details Market Diversification Efforts

The U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) concluded its annual strategic planning conference in Tucson, Ariz., Friday with the election of officers for 2024-25. Steve Hanson, a rancher and cattle feeder from Elsie, Neb., is the new USMEF chair, succeeding Minnesota pork and grain producer Randy Spronk.

Hanson has previously held many beef industry leadership roles, including chair of the Nebraska Beef Council and Federation of State Beef Councils and president of the Nebraska Cattlemen. He also served on the Beef Promotion Operating Committee, where he came to appreciate the importance of international marketing programs for U.S. red meat.

"The Operating Committee is where I first got my exposure to USMEF, which invests our checkoff dollars so well and adds value to the beef carcass," Hanson said.

Hanson also praised USMEF for bringing together a wide range of agricultural sectors to support a common goal - something he said was fully on display in Tucson.

"That's one of the best things about USMEF conferences - the idea that I can attend the Pork Committee and Exporter Committee meetings, to broaden my perspective," he said. "Yesterday, I sat in on the Exporter Committee meeting so I could learn more about the challenges they face moving product overseas. Those guys have some real hurdles, and this meeting gave me a much greater appreciation for what they do."

Hanson added that industry unity is also critical when countering efforts to shut down animal agriculture. He cited a Denver ballot initiative that sought to ban slaughterhouses as a prime example.

Nebraska rancher Steve Hanson is the new chair of the U.S. Meat Export Federation

"Fortunately, that measure was defeated by nearly a two-to-one margin, and we are very proud of that fact," he said. "But there are more cities on these activists' lists, and we need to be paying attention."

(from left to right) USMEF officers are Vice Chair Dave Bruntz, Chair-elect Jay Theiler, outgoing Chair Randy Spronk, new Chair Steve Hanson and Secretary-Treasurer Darin Parker

USMEF's new chair-elect is Jay Theiler, executive vice president of corporate affairs for Agri Beef Co., a diversified business with operations in ranching, cattle feeding, cattle nutrition and beef processing. He is a past director of the Idaho Beef Council and has served on the Beef Industry Long Range Plan Task Force.

USMEF Vice Chair Dave Bruntz is president of Bruntz Farming & Feeding in southeastern Nebraska, where he raises corn and soybeans and feeds cattle. Bruntz is a past president of the Nebraska Corn Board and Nebraska Cattlemen. He also served as a regional vice president for the National Cattlemen's Beef Association.

The newest USMEF officer is Secretary-Treasurer Darin Parker, director of Salt Lake City-based exporter/distributor PMI Foods.

Friday's closing business session also included a USMEF staff panel focused on the importance of market diversification and developing new opportunities for U.S. pork, beef and lamb in emerging destinations. Scott Reynolds, assistant vice president of marketing programs, described how USMEF categorizes markets for beef and pork and showed how allocations of USMEF investments in new and emerging markets has grown by 22% in the past five years​. These are markets with less current volume, but greater upside potential. New and emerging markets can also help manage risk when market access issues occur in the leading markets for beef or pork.

In terms of new, untapped markets for U.S. red meat, Africa tops the list. USMEF Africa Representative Matt Copeland focused on population and economic growth and reminded the audience that by 2050, one in four people in the world will be African. It will take time, says Copeland, but we can't underestimate the importance of this economic evolution in Africa.

(left to right) USMEF ASEAN Director Sabrina Yin, Assistant VP of Marketing Programs Scott Reynolds, Africa Representative Matt Copeland and Latin America Representative Homero Recio

"The geographic reach is immense. It is more than 7,000 miles from Casablanca in Morocco in the north down to Cape Town in South Africa. One of the world's finest beef restaurants will open in Marrakesh in September 2025 and will showcase U.S. beef. In December, Marble is opening its second restaurant in Johannesburg and the flagship item on their menu is Prime grade beef from Snake River Farms," said Copeland. "In between, we're launching an event in Ghana in April 2025 that will be a wonderful opportunity to meet the entire West African trade."

USMEF Latin America Representative Homero Recio addressed recent initiatives to develop new opportunities in South America, including a new product launch in Colombia.

"Colombia is a growing market for U.S. pork made up of trimmings, hams, loins and ribs. But how do we grow tonnage? There are different ways to do it," said Recio. "One, you just sell more of what you already sell. Another way is to introduce new items and that's what we've been working on with the Boston butt ‒ pork's best-kept secret."

The new product with the most immediate potential in Colombia's foodservice sector may be a pork burger derived from the Boston butt.

"We've tested the burger in Colombia and the reaction was off the charts. We are now promoting it to the trade as "BBB" - for Boston butt burger," said Recio, who added that USMEF is also testing a variation of the burger in Chile.

USMEF ASEAN Director Sabrina Yin discussed the diversity of her region and its varying stages of market development, contrasting the highly developed market of Singapore with emerging markets such as Vietnam and Cambodia.

Yin explained that in several ASEAN markets, much of USMEF's work is directed at overcoming technical barriers and working with the trade on supply chain development, capacity building and imaging U.S. product. Where possible, USMEF continues to utilize sampling programs for U.S. beef and pork toward growing retail shelf space. Yin described how USMEF is evolving to more of a business-to-business approach with promotions, utilizing sales contests for U.S. red meat with importers and distributors.

Thursday highlights include producer insights from overseas, USMEF awards

The previous day's program featured a panel discussion titled Building Connections and Creating Opportunities, in which livestock producers shared firsthand experiences and insights from engaging with red meat buyers, consumers and government officials in overseas markets.

(left to right) Livestock producers Randy Spronk, Bob Ruth, Don Pemberton and Ross Havens share their experiences visiting overseas markets for U.S. red meat

Randy Spronk, who served as USMEF chair over the past year, kicked off the discussion by recapping his first market visit to Japan 25 years ago, traveling with then-Governor Jesse Ventura. He highlighted the U.S. pork industry's success in developing the Japanese market while also expanding demand in other Asian markets and the Western Hemisphere.

"One of the biggest takeaways for me was that exports are not something that you do in six months or in 12 months, said Spronk. "It's a long-term strategy to continue to grow a market and to be present in that market."

Bob Ruth, a pork producer from Pennsylvania and past president of the National Pork Board, participated in a USMEF Heartland Team tour of Japan in September.

"I was amazed with the Japanese attention to detail and quality. Quality in how they cut the meat, in how they package it and how they present the meat to customers," said Ruth. "I'm talking pork in general, but they did it with all their red meats. A big take home message for me was how we could do better here in the United States to boost demand, based on what I saw in in Japan."

Cattlemen's Beef Board member Ross Havens, a cattle producer from Iowa, appreciated seeing the popularity of products that have little demand in the United States.

"Tongues are one of the top beef products we export to Japan," said Havens. "Most people in the U.S. have no interest in trying beef tongue but in Japan, the way they cook it and prepare it, beef tongue is really delicious. It's a great example of how international markets add value to the carcass. Shipping beef products to where somebody really values it is a great return on our Beef Checkoff investments."

Don Pemberton, former president of Kentucky Cattlemen's Association and a participant in a Heartland Team tour of Korea and Japan in 2023, talked about his experience grilling steak for social media influencers in Tokyo and the great interest they showed in his technique. He also shared his surprise at how much attention he received upon his return to Kentucky.

"When I got back to Kentucky, I prepared a trip report and presentation for Kentucky Cattlemen and Kentucky Beef Council. And the next thing I knew, I was on a speaking tour around the state. Because I'd spent 48 hours in Seoul and 48 hours in Tokyo, I was now considered an expert on foreign trade," laughed Pemberton.

"As I presented at more of these meetings, I realized their great interest in how global trade affects them, and more importantly, their checkoff investment. With what I was able to share, they could better understand how their checkoff dollars are invested in global marketing and what a difference this is making."

While the panel freely shared their observations and insights with conference attendees, they also encouraged members to consider visiting an international market through a USMEF trade mission.

"My advice would be, take a trip. The intelligence that you pick up in the markets is a very valuable experience," said Ruth. "The other thing is, and Don had talked about it, and Ross talked about it, is that our customers want to hear from you, the producer. The influence that you have is phenomenal, and your presence there really helps USMEF. It's going to be valuable for you, and it will be valuable for our industry as well."

Thursday highlights also included an awards luncheon where USMEF honored Nick Giordano, former lead lobbyist with the National Pork Producers Council, with its Michael J. Mansfield Award. Mark Jagels, a corn and livestock producer from Davenport, Neb., and former USMEF chair, received USMEF's Distinguished Service Award. More details on these awards and comments from the recipients are available here.

Nick Giordano (left) accepts USMEF's Michael J. Mansfield Award from Randy Spronk

Mark Jagels (left) accepts the USMEF Distinguished Service Award from Randy Spronk

Directors Jake Callantine and Debbie Anderson accept the USMEF Million Dollar Club Award on behalf of the Montana Beef Council

USMEF also honored the Montana Beef Council with its Million Dollar Club Award. This award recognizes USMEF member organizations that have contributed more than $1 million in support of USMEF's marketing programs. Montana Beef Council is a longtime partner of USMEF, making its initial contribution in 1984.

The conference began on Wednesday with a deep dive into the election's impact on agricultural and trade policy, as well as an update on U.S.-Mexico trade relations. Opening day highlights are available in this press release.

USMEF members will next meet at the organization's Spring Conference, May 21-23 in Fort Worth, Texas.