Nebraska’s Greater Omaha Packing Company is sending U.S. beef to China, the first shipment of its kind in 14 years. After the U.S. and China finalized protocols to allow the U.S. to export beef to China, the Nebraska-based company announced it would send beef by air freight to a customer in Shanghai. Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts and Nebraska Department of Agriculture Director Greg Ibach joined Greater Omaha Packing Chief Executive Henry Davis to load the first box of beef destined for China Thursday morning. Davis told the Drovers Cattle Network: “China has the potential to be the largest market for U.S. beef,” adding “this will be the first of many shipments.” On Monday, The Department of Agriculture announced final details concerning export requirements to resume beef shipments to China. Among the requirements, U.S. producers must track the birthplace of cattle born in the United States that are destined for export to China.
From the National Association of Farm Broadcasting News Service.