U.S. Beef Hosts European Buyers; China Buying More U.S. Peanuts
**The U.S. Meat Export Federation recently hosted beef buyers from four eastern European countries, Sweden, Finland and Norway, for a firsthand look at U.S. beef production, processing and merchandising.
Funded by the Texas Beef Council, the “Beef 101” course toured beef processing plants at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, visited retail outlets and restaurants and USMEF’s Denver headquarters.
A spokesperson says while U.S. beef middle meats are popular in Europe, the market will be more viable and profitable if more cuts from non-hormone treated cattle are exported to Europe.
**The Agricultural Retailers Association is asking the U.S. Department of Transportation to a 1-year delay on implementation of Electronic Logging Device rules.
ARA Vice President, Richard Gupton says they’re concerned many agribusinesses are not, and will not be fully prepared to meet the December 18 deadline and that manufacturers may not be able to accommodate existing Hours of Service exemptions currently utilized by ag retailers and distributors.
**China is finally buying U.S. peanuts at a seriously high level and farm groups here are doing their best to make sure it stays that way.
According to Agri-Pulse, the USDA reports China is well on its way to buying about $100 million worth of peanuts this year.
Compared to just $4-million dollars a few years ago, the U.S. has already sold $29 million worth of the legumes to China in just the first seven months of 2017.