Market diversification crucial for developing new opportunities for U.S. pork, beef and lamb

The U.S. Meat Export Federation concluded its annual strategic planning conference in Tucson, Arizona, Friday with the election of officers for 2024-25. Steve Hanson, a rancher and cattle feeder from Elsie, Nebraska, is the new USMEF chair, succeeding Minnesota pork and grain producer Randy Spronk.

Hanson has previously held many beef industry leadership roles, including chair of the Nebraska Beef Council and Federation of State Beef Councils and president of the Nebraska Cattlemen. He also served on the Beef Promotion Operating Committee, where he came to appreciate the importance of international marketing programs for U.S. red meat.

“The Operating Committee is where I first got my exposure to USMEF, which invests our checkoff dollars so well and adds value to the beef carcass,” Hanson said.

Hanson also praised USMEF for bringing together a wide range of agricultural sectors to support a common goal – something he said was fully on display in Tucson.

“That’s one of the best things about USMEF conferences – the idea that I can attend the Pork Committee and Exporter Committee meetings, to broaden my perspective,” he said. “Yesterday, I sat in on the Exporter Committee meeting so I could learn more about the challenges they face moving product overseas. Those guys have some real hurdles, and this meeting gave me a much greater appreciation for what they do.”

Hanson added that industry unity is also critical when countering efforts to shut down animal agriculture. He cited a Denver ballot initiative that sought to ban slaughterhouses as a prime example.

“Fortunately, that measure was defeated by nearly a two-to-one margin, and we are very proud of that fact,” he said. “But there are more cities on these activists’ lists, and we need to be paying attention.”

USMEF’s new chair-elect is Jay Theiler, executive vice president of corporate affairs for Agri Beef Co., a diversified business with operations in ranching, cattle feeding, cattle nutrition and beef processing. He is a past director of the Idaho Beef Council and has served on the Beef Industry Long Range Plan Task Force.

USMEF Vice Chair Dave Bruntz is president of Bruntz Farming & Feeding in southeastern Nebraska, where he raises corn and soybeans and feeds cattle. Bruntz is a past president of the Nebraska Corn Board and Nebraska Cattlemen. He also served as a regional vice president for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association.

The newest USMEF officer is Secretary-Treasurer Darin Parker, director of Salt Lake City-based exporter/distributor PMI Foods.