The value of U.S. red meat exports was still the highest on record for the month of June, and first-half shipments established a record pace for both beef and pork exports, according to data released by the USDA, and compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation.

“The (federation) had expected a continued strong performance in June for both beef and pork exports, despite significant headwinds,” said Dan Halstrom, federation president and CEO. “2021 has presented many formidable challenges for the U.S. industry, including a very tight labor situation, logistical obstacles that slowed product movement, and foodservice restrictions in many key markets.

“So, the fact that first-half exports reached record levels speaks to the loyalty of our international customer base, strong consumer demand for high-quality, nutritious U.S. red meat, and the U.S. industry’s ability to adapt to a challenging and rapidly changing business climate,” he added. “We have also seen a welcome rebound in beef and pork variety meat volumes, which had been down last year.”

The report said June beef exports totaled 112,249 metric tons, up 42 percent from a year ago when exports were still hampered by a COVID-19-related slowdown in production. Export value was $804.4 million, up 68 percent from a year ago and the third highest on record after April and May of this year.

First-half exports reached 700,087 metric tons, up 18 percent from a year ago, valued at $4.64 billion (up 28 percent). Compared to 2018, the record year for U.S. beef exports, first-half results were up 6 percent in volume, and 15 percent in value.

The report added pork exports reached 238,935 metric tons in June, up 15 percent from a year ago, while export value climbed 35 percent to $696.8 million. First-half pork exports topped last year’s record pace by 1 percent at 1.58 million metric tons, valued at $4.33 billion (up 7 percent).

Beef export value equated to $351.18 per head of fed slaughter in June, up 60 percent from last June’s COVID-19-impacted average, the report said. The first half per-head average was $359.49, up 20 percent from a year ago. June exports accounted for 13.6 percent of total beef production, and 11.5 percent of muscle cuts, both much higher than a year ago.

The report said Japan was the leading destination for June beef exports in both volume (24,864 metric tons, up 20 percent from a year ago) and value (up 28 percent). This pushed first-half exports slightly ahead of last year’s pace at 156,287 metric tons (up 1 percent), while value increased 6 percent to $1.05 billion.

Moreover, beef exports to South Korea reached 20,419 metric tons in June, up 36 percent from a year ago, valued at $169.4 million (up 55 percent). Exports to Korea established a fast pace in the first half, climbing 22 percent from a year ago to 142,300 mt, and Korea was the leading value destination for U.S. beef at $1.08 billion (up 31 percent).

The report said strong momentum continued for U.S. beef in China, with June exports holding close to the May total at 16,238 metric tons. Capitalizing on improved market access that took effect in March 2020 under the Phase One Economic and Trade Agreement, first-half beef exports to China increased more than 1,000 percent from a year ago in both volume (81,001 metric tons) and value ($622.5 million).

Mexico emerged as the top market for total exports of U.S. pork muscle cuts in June at 70,582 metric tons, up 45 percent from a year ago, while export value more than doubled to $149.4 million (up 112 percent), the report said.

Led by a near-doubling of exports to El Salvador and strong growth in mainstay markets Honduras and Guatemala, first-half pork exports to Central America topped last year’s record pace by 50 percent at 67,795 metric tons, with value up 57 percent to $176.6 million, the report said.

Exports were also sharply higher to Costa Rica and posted year-over-year increases in Panama and Nicaragua, the report said.

According to a recent independent study conducted by World Perspectives, Inc. in Arlington, Va., and released by the U.S. Meat Export Federation, U.S. beef and pork exports contributed 41 cents per bushel to the value of corn, and $1.06 per bushel to soybeans in 2020.

The study said U.S. pork exports used 2.45 million tons of soybean meal, which is the equivalent of 103.2 million bushels of soybeans. At an average annual price of $8.98 per bushel, pork exports accounted for $927 million in market value to the soybean industry.

In addition, beef and pork exports used 530.5 million bushels of corn. At an average annual price of $3.52 per bushel, beef and pork exports accounted for $1.87 billion in market value to the corn industry, the report said.

Moreover, beef and pork exports also used 3.03 million tons of distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS) at an annual average price of $154.59 per ton, generating $468 million in market value for ethanol mills’ co-products.

In 2020, with total production of 14.18 billion bushels, the value of red meat exports to the U.S. corn crop was $5.8 billion, meaning corn growers would have lost $5.8 billion in value if there were no beef and pork exports, the study said.

The study also said in 2020, pork exports contributed $1.06 per bushel, or 12 percent of the average annual price of $8.98 per bushel.

With total production of 4.14 billion bushels, the value of pork exports was $4.4 billion to the U.S. soybean crop, meaning soybean producers would have lost $4.4 billion in value if there were no pork exports, the study added.

“The USMEF’s efforts to promote U.S. red meat in international markets have paid off for producers, whether they raise livestock or grow corn and soybeans – or they do both,” said Mark Legan, a Coatesville, Ind., hog producer.

“The study adds numbers to the story – a story those of us in this business have been telling for a long time – that global trade is vital to all of us involved in U.S. agriculture,” he added.

Dean Meyer, a Rock Rapids, Iowa, farmer who produces corn, soybeans, cattle and hogs, said, “As the study indicates, my farm gains from red meat exports in the price of every acre of crops that we grow. Red meat exports are vital to my family’s operation.

“Something else this study points to is how different sectors of U.S. agriculture can work together to benefit the industry as a whole,” he said, adding, “There is great potential for U.S. agriculture on the world stage.”