Source: Tom Johnston, MEATINGPLACE, 11/14/11

A record-breaking month for pork exports to China and rebounding beef exports to Mexico has established a pace in 2011 to set new annual records for the value of beef and pork exports, according to statistics released by the USDA and compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF).

September pork exports jumped 23.6 percent in volume and 40.5 percent in value from last year while beef exports rose 27.3 percent in volume and 35.9 percent in value.

“This year has presented opportunities for the U.S. red meat industry to expand exports, and the industry has worked aggressively to capitalize on those opportunities,” USMEF President and CEO Phil Seng said in a news release.

Pork exports in September equated to 26 percent of total U.S. pork and pork variety meat production, and those exports were valued at $56 per head, compared with September 2010 totals of 22 percent of production and $40.87 per head. ??For beef, September exports accounted for 14.4 percent of total beef and beef variety meat production and $212.64 in value per head of fed cattle, up from 11 percent of production and $151 in value per head last year.

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