Partnerships with Department of Ag, USMEF help promote beef globally

A notable success involves the sponsorship of a BBQ event in Japan, funded by the Nebraska Beef Council. A representative from a major Japanese restaurant chain attended the event and, impressed by Nebraska beef, initiated discussions with import partners. Subsequent visits to Nebraska led to a partnership agreement, with the restaurant featuring Nebraska beef on its menu. 

“They’ve been so pleased with the partnership in fact that they visited Nebraska again recently to see how else they can grow this relationship and hopefully grow their purchases of our beef, all because of an event that the Nebraska Beef Council help sponsor last year,” said Jordan Schlake, Nebraska Agricultural Trade Representative for the NDA. 

Despite challenges such as high cattle prices and a strong dollar in 2023, US beef exports faced a decline of 14%. However, Nebraska's exports only experienced a slight 3% dip according to the USDA. 

“We believe that the resiliency of our exports is due to the high quality of our product and the partnership between NDA and the Nebraska Beef Council has helped build a loyal customer base overseas that appreciates our product and continues purchasing it in large volumes even when prices are high,” said Schlake. 

Reverse trade missions have also been happening more often, where foreign customers come to Nebraska to see how beef is raised and to confirm their confidence in the product. 

In addition to direct promotional activities, the Nebraska Beef Council actively participates in events like the Latin America Product Showcase, where educational workshops and demonstrations highlight the benefits of beef. The Beef Council also supported a foodservice educational program which enabled USMEF, a contractor to the Nebraska Beef Council, to share new recipes, cooking techniques, and more to the foodservice industry of Japan.