U.S. receives increased meat access to South Africa

Jan 08, 2016

Exports could be worth up to $75 million per year

After years of blocking red meat imports from the United States, including a 15- year block on poultry imports, South Africa has decided to lift some of the roadblocks and allow American poultry and red meat back into the country.

South Africa has refused American beef imports since 2003 after the U.S. was battling mad cow disease. Pork imports were stopped in 2013 due to other health concerns and chicken imports stopped nearly 15 years ago to protect against avian flu and salmonella.

With the renewed trade opportunities estimated to be worth $75 million annually, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said the opportunities with South Africa will have a domino effect on various industries.

"This is good news for American farmers, ranchers and poultry, pork and beef companies,” he said. “We welcome this move by South Africa and will continue our efforts to break down barriers and expand access for high-quality, safe and wholesome U.S. food and agricultural products around the world. With this agreement, South Africa reaffirms the scientific soundness and integrity of the U.S. system for ensuring animal health and food safety, and this will result in high-quality U.S. meat and poultry being available for South African consumers.”

According to the Office of the United States Trade Representative:

Trade between the United States and South Africa totaled $21 billion in 2012
Agricultural exports to South Africa was worth $295 million in 2013. Leading agricultural products were dairy ($28 million), wheat ($25 million), planting seeds ($24 million) and poultry meat ($24 million)
Agricultural imports from South Africa totaled $253 million in 2013. Leading items included wine and beer ($69 million), fresh fruit ($59 million) and tree nuts ($42 million)

Give us your thoughts on the expanded access for American beef, pork and poultry products in South Africa. As a producer are you encouraged by the news?

Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.