By Ralph Lents
As a corn and beef cattle farmer, I know how much one commodity impacts another. If the U.S. has a low-yielding corn crop, my cattle feed prices go up. If beef exports go down, the price of my corn goes down, too. In Iowa, one in two farmers raise livestock and those livestock consume a lot of corn. That’s why the Iowa Corn Promotion Board invests in the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF).
The purpose of USMEF is to create new opportunities and further develop existing international markets for U.S. corn-fed red meat. USMEF represents red meat producers, packers, processors, traders, farm organizations, grains producers and supply and service organizations. When united, USMEF amplifies the voices of these organizations, increasing red meat exports around the world.
In partnership with USMEF, Iowa corn farmers host international trade teams, allowing customers from around the world to learn more about corn and livestock produced in Iowa. Additionally, Iowa corn farmers have traveled internationally to share the farming and conservation practices they use to ensure they are raising a high-quality product for consumers. For every dollar ICPB invested into USMEF’s export programs, a median net return of $3.87 and $7.42 for the beef and pork industries is generated.
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