USMEF works to grow exports of Indiana corn through red meat by addressing access issues 

In 2025, beef and pork exports accounted for more than 508 million bushels of U.S. corn usage. Nearly 32 million bushels of that came from Indiana, contributing about 13.5 percent of bushel value, or about 58 cents. 

The U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) continually works hand-in-hand with USDA, the Office of U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) and others to grow that demand by addressing beef access issues all around the globe. The past year has seen some notable steps forward in that effort. 

U.S. beef regained duty-free access to the United Kingdom (UK) under a 13,000 metric ton quota that was included in the trade framework reached by the Trump administration in 2025. 

USMEF hosted a pair of events in London to celebrate the arrival of the first U.S. beef shipments under the new quota, a reception and dinner at the U.S. Embassy and a dinner for the British trade at Smith & Wollensky steakhouse. 

At the embassy reception, USMEF President and CEO Dan Halstrom noted that the new beef access in the UK could lead to $150 to $200 million in sales annually once it is fully implemented. 

Beef access to China 

Certainly the biggest challenge for beef access during the past year has been in China. Beginning in March 2025, the Chinese government refused to renew registrations for U.S. beef processing and cold storage facilities as required under the Phase One Trade Agreement reached during the first Trump administration. 

That effectively locked U.S. beef out of the market for most of 2025 and into 2026. USMEF staff worked continuously with USTR to keep the beef access issue at the forefront of trade discussions. In May, the vast majority of beef establishment registrations were renewed. 

While beef trade to China is slowly resuming, there are still access issues to be addressed, including technical barriers that led to the suspension of some establishments. 

China beef trade is key, not only because of the size of the market ($1.6 billion in sales in 2024) but also because bids from buyers in China enhance the price U.S. beef cuts command in Japan, Korea, Taiwan and other Asian markets. 

Indonesia offers potential 

Indonesia is a potential $400 to $500 million export market for U.S. beef, and in February and agreement on reciprocal trade with Indonesia was announced by the United States. 

This is a big step toward fully opening a market that has greatly underperformed due to its trade-limiting import licensing system and other restrictive policies. 

Staff with USMEF’s Export Services office engaged the Indonesian halal accreditation authority to regain the key halal certification access for that country, ending a six-month lockout of U.S. beef access. Once implemented, the agreement includes a 50,000 metric ton annual beef purchase commitment. 

Long-term growth in Africa 

USMEF sees long-term growth potential in much of the African continent, but it is going to take development, including work on a number of access issues. Last spring, USMEF hosted the first red meat trade show in Accra, Ghana, bringing together buyers from across West Africa. 

That was followed up by a beef tasting event for restaurateurs and chefs in March. Both events provided what was for many their first opportunity to taste the quality of corn-fed U.S. beef. 

But many African nations have non-scientific barriers to U.S. red meat products. USMEF is urging USTR to use the Africa Growth and Opportunities Act (AGOA) to address those trade restrictions. 

The intent of AGOA is to incentivize two-way trade with African nations by designating countries for duty-free treatment. AGOA is currently under review, and in public comments USMEF asked USTR to consider red meat import limitations when weighing trade benefits for countries under AGOA. 

Free trade access has been key in building U.S. beef exports to nearly $10 billion annually, creating demand for more than $2 billion of U.S. corn. No trade pact has been more crucial than the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). 

Mexico bought more than $1.3 billion in U.S. beef in 2025, while Canada reached nearly $900 million. USMEF remains engaged in the discussions on the current review of USMCA to ensure that full access is maintained for U.S. farmers and ranchers.