News

Russia may be interested in diversifying import supplies as its political conflict with the United States and the European Union has been escalating recently. The country's dairy industry heavily depends on foreign genetic and breeding materials. 

On April 5, 2021, the first U.S. commercial beef cattle embryo shipment (valued at $28,000) arrived in the Philippines. Juliana's Cattle Farm, owned by Mr. Rolando Lagaya and located in Batangas, purchased 93 straws to improve their herd genetics and increase beef production. The sale resulted from efforts by USLGE with USDA Market Access Program funding, including a reverse trade mission for Philippine buyers led by the Kansas Department of Agriculture. According to the trader that facilitated the transaction, they expect additional shipments of 100-200 straws of frozen beef embryos within the next 12 months. This sale follows USDA/APHIS finalizing a health protocol in May 2020 with the Philippine government for the importation of U.S. bovine embryos.

VIV Asia, the complete Feed to Food global trade show in Asia, has been postponed to January 12–14, 2022, in Bangkok, Thailand, and will be held jointly with Meat Pro Asia, Asia’s leading processing and packaging trade fair for egg, poultry, meat, seafood & food products. Two international leading events for the animal protein production business in Asia, under one roof: an unprecedented and remarkable opportunity. 

Prior to the in-person trade shows in January next year, VIV Asia and Meat Pro Asia will organize a digital event in September 2021. Offered to both events' exhibiting companies as a complimentary business opportunity, the online platform will maximize exposure for exhibitors and provide a convenient sourcing option for buyers from all over Asia. Networking and knowledge sharing sessions will also be facilitated through the platform. More details on the digital dates will follow.

Beefmaster Breeders United (BBU; Boerne, Texas) and Dbl D Bar Ranch (Industry/New Ulm, Texas) have successfully delivered 67 Beefmaster embryos to Kafkas University in Kars, Turkey. The embryos will be used to develop the foundation Turkish Beefmaster herd for crossbreeding with other native cattle such as European Limousin, Charolais, Simmental, and various breeds of dairy cattle. After 4 years of dedicated assistance from the Ankara Office of USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service and the U.S. Embassy Agricultural Attaché, this project is now in full operation. 

Education of Turkish agricultural leaders on the Beefmaster breed and marketing efforts first started in 2016. USLGE assisted BBU in funding articles and presentations to educate the Turkish beef industry on American beef genetics.

USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service is postponing its November 15-18 trade mission to the United Arab Emirates because of continued health concerns and travel restrictions related to the global covid-19 pandemic.

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue and U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer announced the appointment of 25 new members to serve on 7 agricultural trade advisory committees. The newly appointed advisors will serve until 2024. A complete list of committee members and application information is available at www.fas.usda.gov/topics/trade-advisory-committees.

Following is a list of the new advisors for 3 of the committees:

Agricultural Policy Advisory Committee
Constance Cullman, American Feed Industry Association
David Puglia, Western Growers
David Salmonsen, American Farm Bureau Federation

ATAC for Trade in Animals and Animal Products
Robert DeHaan, National Fisheries Institute
Mallory Gaines, American Feed Industry Association
David Herring, Hog Slat Inc./TDM Farms
James Parnell, Alabama Farmers Federation
Maria Zieba, National Pork Producers Council

ATAC for Trade in Processed Foods
Kevin Latner, National Industrial Hemp Council
Richard (Denton) McLane, McLane Global Trading
Max Moncaster, National Association of State Departments of Agriculture
Bernadette Wiltz, Southern United States Trade Association

Expointer 2020, an agricultural trade show traditionally held at the end of August in Esteio, Brazil, had been delayed until September 26 through October 4, 2020, because of the coronavirus pandemic but is now canceled. For more information [in Portugese], visit agricultura.rs.gov.br.

USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service has updated the status of the following 2020 trade missions due to continued health concerns and travel restrictions related to the global COVID-19 pandemic:

• Australia and New Zealand, scheduled for October 12–16 (postponed)
• Peru, scheduled for November 2–5 (canceled)

Expointer 2020, an agricultural trade show traditionally held at the end of August in Esteio, Brazil, is now scheduled for September 26 through October 4, 2020, because of the coronavirus pandemic. This year Expointer is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Assis Brazil State Park in Esteio, and USLGE will be hosting a joint reception with FAS Brazil. For more information [in Portugese], visit expointer.rs.gov.br.

EuroTier 2020, which was scheduled to take place at the exhibition grounds in Hanover, Germany, on November 17–20, 2020, has been postponed to February 9–12, 2021, because the coronavirus pandemic continues to cause international uncertainty. The decision to postpone EuroTier was taken in close coordination with the trade fair's expert advisory board. Up-to-date information on EuroTier 2021 can be found at eurotier.com/en.