A monthly measure of meat exports shows U.S. beef posted another outstanding performance in August, remaining well above last year’s pace, and August pork exports increased from the previous month but were down slightly year-over-year.
The U.S. Meat Export Federation reports that August beef exports totaled 112,000 metric tons, up five percent from a year ago and the largest of 2017. Export value was the second-highest on record at $679.1 million, up 20 percent from a year ago and trailing only the record-high value of $688.8 million reached in October 2014. For January through August, beef exports increased ten percent in volume and 16 percent in value compared to the first eight months of 2016. Meanwhile, Pork exports totaled 183,600 metric tons in August, down two percent year-over-year, valued at $511.4 million, down 0.3 percent. January-August volume remained nine percent above last year’s record pace at 1.61 million metric tons, while export value increased 11 percent to $4.21 billion.
From the National Association of Farm Broadcasting News Service.