Record-breaking performance for U.S. beef and pork exports in March

U.S. red meat exports ended the first quarter on a very high note, according to data released by the USDA and compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF), with March beef and pork exports each posting the highest monthly value on record. Pork exports and shipments of beef muscle cuts also set new volume records in March. Beef exports totaled 124,808 metric tons (MT) in March, up 8% from a year ago and the second-largest of the post-bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) era. Export value broke the $800 million mark for the first time at $801.9 million, up 14% year-over-year. Beef muscle cut exports set new monthly records for both volume (98,986 MT, up 13% from a year ago) and value ($718.3 million, up 17%). For the first quarter, beef exports pulled even with last year's pace at 333,348 MT, valued at $2.12 billion. For beef muscle cuts, first-quarter exports increased 4% to 262,914 MT, valued at $1.9 billion (up 5%). March highlights for U.S. beef included record exports ...