Weekly USMEF Audio Report: Deadline Near for Compromise Discussions on EU Beef Hormone Ban

Apr 06, 2009

On April 22, the United States is scheduled to impose carousel retaliation measures against a new list of products from the European Union in response to the EU’s long-standing ban on U.S. beef exports from cattle raised with growth promotents. The two sides have been in discussions, however, on a compromise measure that would keep the hormone ban in place, but provide other trade relief that may allow the United States to export a higher volume of beef into Europe.

Thad Lively, U.S. Meat Export Federation senior vice president for policy, planning and research, says these discussions represent a potential breakthrough in this long-running dispute, but very little time remains in which to reach agreement on a compromise.

Audio: Lively on EU Negotiations 040609

For any questions about this report, or require any further information Please Contact :

Joe Schuele
Communications Director
U.S. Meat Export Federation
jschuele@usmef.org
303-226-7309

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.