Source: Michael Fielding, MEATINGPLACE, 9/26/16


The announcement of a new agreement that will open China to Canadian beef appears to be a significant development and a sign of a warming political relationship between the two nations, according to officials of the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF), who said they are interested to see the ramifications of this agreement for U.S. beef.

USMEF estimates the value of the China market for U.S. beef exports to be upwards of $200 million.

Canada has been very flexible in working with governments along the Pacific Rim to adapt agreements to regain access for Canadian beef, said USMEF officials, who believe the Canada/China agreement may be similar to the agreement which has produced the complete restoration of access for Canadian beef to the Hong Kong market.

“Not only is China already the world’s largest consumer of meat products, demand for beef is projected to maintain an upward trend as Chinese consumers increase the presence of high quality beef in their diets,” said Canadian Meat Council President Joe Reda.

Canadian beef processors lost access to the Chinese market in 2003 following the identification of the first case of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE). In May, 2011, Canada became the first BSE-infected country to gain Chinese approval for the resumption of trade for boneless, frozen beef from cattle under 30 months of age. “Restoration of access to the Chinese market for bone-in, frozen beef products represents a major milestone on the road toward our ultimate objective: access for frozen and fresh, chilled beef products from cattle of all ages,” said Canadian Meat Council Executive Director Jim Laws. “Not only does [the] announcement open the door for an estimated $10 million of new sales opportunities in the near term, it clears the path for intensified negotiations on the remaining steps toward full and normal trade in beef products with China,” he added.

Early reports indicate that the Canada/China agreement will be a staged process starting with access for beef from cattle under 30 months of age as well as beef tallow for industrial use. USMEF officials will be watching for final details of the Canada/China agreement. USMEF officials note that Canada and the United States have received the same “controlled risk” designation from the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE).

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