Knoxville, Tenn. – Tennessee cattle operations hosted Mexican buyers during an inbound trade mission in mid-October. The Mexican delegation toured seven different cattle farms in the state and were able to see Angus operations, Hereford operations and some farms that offered a look at other types of breeds.

Tennessee Department of Agriculture Business Development Consultants and farm hosts focused on sales of livestock and genetics. Tennessee producers had the chance to learn more about the needs of the Mexican cattle market, and the tours helped Mexican buyers understand Tennessee’s registered seed stock industry and how it can benefit their businesses.

“This effort was funded through the U.S. Livestock Genetics Export Council. It’s something we’ve been doing over the last few years,” said Christina Slater, with the Tennessee Department of Agriculture. “Our main objective for this event pretty much was to bring seven buyers from Mexico into the state and give them a tour around different beef cattle operations here in Tennessee. We really want to increase trade between Tennessee and Mexico and foster this relationship between the two.”

During the week-long mission, buyers visited Burns Farms, Deer Valley Farms, Shady Brook Angus Farms, Chapman Land and Cattle, Walker Hereford, Robert Eliot and Sons Angus, and Woolfolk Hereford.

“We have a cross-section of producers in this state, ones who concentrate on a particular breed to those with a variety of animals,” Slater said. “But then we have some large operations in this state as well. The Mexican contingent got to see a broad spectrum of what Tennessee cattlemen have to offer.”

America’s farmers are among the most productive in the world and depend on exports for a significant share of their cash receipts. Tennessee may not be thought of as a livestock state, but it is home to 37,000 cattle producers. Beef is the state’s third highest grossing farm commodity generating more than 13 percent of the state’s $4.4 billion agricultural cash receipts.

Mexico continues to develop as a major beef exporting country. In recent years, Mexican beef production has continued to grow while total domestic consumption has been relatively stable leading to growing beef exports from the country.

Current USDA projections for 2023 have Mexico as the No. 10 beef exporting country in the world. More than 80 percent of Mexican beef exports go to the U.S., although other global markets are receiving larger amounts of Mexican beef in recent years. Beef exports from Mexico have accounted for 18.9 percent of total U.S. beef imports. Mexico is the largest source of imported beef cuts that are marketed directly to consumers in the U.S.

“When the visit concluded we received wonderful feedback from all those producers,” Slater said. “They said they saw excellent genetics here in this state, high quality products and they thought the trip was well-planned. They also enjoyed a few good steaks while they were here, too.”

Victor Cano, from Chihuahua, reported that his objectives for the visit were met.

“Seeing the cattle on-site, experiencing our similar weather, understanding the genetics and making contacts for transactions help me make buying decisions,” Cano said.

“I anticipate I’ll make future purchases from Tennessee due to the high quality of genetics I observed while touring the farms,” said Jose Haro, of Jalisco, Mexico.

“Focusing on international markets is one way we keep agriculture our state’s top industry,” Agriculture Commissioner Charlie Hatcher, D.V.M. said. “The recent inbound trade mission connected buyers from Mexico with Tennessee beef cattle operations. The visits offered a first-hand look at our top-notch livestock industry and demonstrated how long-running family farms and newer, first-generation farms work.”