Beef Exports Continue to Impress with Another Record Setting Month, Despite All the Political Noise

Jun 18, 2018

Thus far here in 2018, according to the US Meat Export Federation, each month the export numbers for beef have looked really, really good. Extension Livestock Market Economist Dr. Glynn Tonsor says the latest numbers especially, are just another testament to how well we’re doing with beef exports here in 2018.

“They’re very favorable and it’s hard to overstate that. Really, both beef and pork exports had a good April,” Tonsor said. “Beef was up 11 percent in volume and 23 percent in value for April 2018 relative to April 2017. That value number is the fourth highest on record. That’s important to note.”

Breaking down the data compiled by USMEF, Tonsor says the calculations reveal that the estimated value being added to every steer based on trade, is at $328 per head. In other words, assuming you are selling a 1,400 lb. steer, that equates to $23 per cwt of value being added.

“If I could emphasize one thing - those April numbers are hyper-strong - really good despite what is a lot of trade and political noise,” he asserted. “So, there’s a lot of reasons to be optimistic that we are already taking advantage of that growing protein story or the demand for more protein. My question is how much better could it be if we reduce some of that uncertainty?”

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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.