Zero to 4.5 million is the end result of United States Meat Export Federation (USMEF) efforts over the last three years to introduce and increase consumption of a single new pork cut in Japan.
Growing U.S. pork exports represents better value for U.S. soybean farmers because it means feeding U.S. soy to animals here and exporting value-added products like meat. This supports U.S. soy’s No. 1 customer – the animal ag industry – while strengthening the demand for U.S. soy.
Through a multifaceted campaign, USMEF showed Japanese consumers that back ribs, an underutilized pork portion, were easy to cook and delicious. By the end of the campaign, Japanese consumption of back ribs went from 0 to 4.5 million pounds annually, and continues to increase.
By partnering with USMEF, U.S. soybean farmers can support their biggest customers while strengthening the demand for U.S. soy.
In 2011, the United States exported 4.97 billion pounds of pork, which would have used an estimated 87 million bushels of soybeans. A record year, 2011 pork exports were up 18 percent from 2010 and 10 percent from the previous high in 2008. U.S. pork export volume from January to November 2012 was up 3 percent from 2011, keeping the year on track to break more records. That’s the meal from 75.6 billion bushels of soybeans.