Japan closed its borders to American sheep and goat meat in 2013
By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com
The USDA has secured new market for the country’s goat and sheep producers.
Yesterday, Sonny Perdue, Secretary of Agriculture, announced that Japan has finalized a list of requirements that will allow U.S. goat and sheep meat imports into the country for the first time in nearly 15 years.
“This success is a direct result of USDA’s dedication to helping America’s farmers and ranchers keep and find new markets for their products,” he said in a statement. “This Administration is committed to helping U.S. producers prosper and share these products with the world.”
The goat industry is pleased with the news.
The U.S. exported 25.4 metric tons of goat meat in the first three months of the year, the USDA reports. Many of the live goats, however, were imported.
An increased Japanese market share means farmers will be challenged to meet the demands, said Anita Teel Dahnke, executive director of the American Goat Federation.
“Anything that increases marketing possibilities is a good thing for producers,” she told Farms.com today. “But we have to keep in mind that U.S. goat producers can’t meet the demand for goats in (our) country.
“We import a large portion of the goat eaten here, so we have a long way to go increase production to meet the needs of other markets.”
Sheep and lamb industry representatives are also optimistic about the potential trade opportunities.
The U.S. exported $US$19.5 million worth of lamb last year, the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) says.
Japan imported about $168 million of lamb last year, mostly from Australia and New Zealand.
The renewed access for U.S. lamb can only help the national export figures increase, said Dan Halstrom, president and CEO of USMEF.
“There is great demand for high-quality grain-fed red meat in Japan, as demonstrated by the success of U.S. beef and pork,” he said in a statement yesterday. “The U.S. lamb industry is anxious to capitalize on opportunities in Japan’s restaurant and retail sectors.”
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