U.S. Will Maintain Its Position As World’s Largest Beef Importer In 2005

[Robbien]

The United States will maintain its position as the world’s largest beef importer in 2005. Consumption increased nearly 3 percent in 2004 and is forecast to increase another 4 percent in 2005 over 2004. Production is also forecast to increase by 4 percent, but will remain almost 3 percent below 2003 levels. In 2004, beef imports increased by 22 percent over 2003. Most of the increase came from Canada and Uruguay, whose market share rose from less than 1 percent in 2002 to 11 percent in 2004.
. . .

With imports of live cattle for Canada resuming later this year, U.S. cattle imports from all sources are forecast to be just under 2.7 million head in 2005.


. . .

U.S. cattle exports will remain steady at 30,000 head in 2005


http://www.cattlenetwork.com/content.asp?contentid=4504

thought is was interesting that so much of our beef is imported and so little is exported

[CHIMO]

1. May Be

In the definitions. Perhaps they are referring to beef as already boxed and cattle as on the hoof. Canada is presently exporting beef to the US but cattle is not yet being exported there.

[nine30]

2. The sins of gluttony will not go unpunished..

"Beef" is not a crop. Its mutilated body parts .. the result of the most heinous attrocities commited on animals. Sure it happens behind closed doors in locales far removed from most humans, but it happens.

[nine30]

3. The sins of gluttony will not go unpunished..

"Beef" is not a crop. Its mutilated body parts .. the result of the most heinous attrocities commited on animals. Sure it happens behind closed doors in locales far removed from most humans, but it happens.

[cliss]

4. Well, then thank goodness I'm

a vegetarian. I'll not be any part of those imports, thank you.

[this_side_up]

5. surfing the tv this afternoon, I

came upon the American Farmer show.

They were getting ready to auction cattle and were
showing pre-recorded tapes of each animal.

1 male and 1 female both had the shakes (big time)
in their left front legs and shoulder area.

[mutus_frutex]

6. This is good for my country..

Uruguay has the safest beef in South America right now. And since this is one of the only things we can produce in reasonable quantities, it is great that the US market has opened. Until now it was all talk about open market and the like, but it was always unidirectional: we had to buy lots of crap at high prices and our beef couldn't get in because of the subsidies.

Cheers..

[wickerwoman]

7. This is the impact of fast food on the beef market.

Each 99 cent burger contains meat from thousands of different animals from several dozen countries. It's cheaper to raise them, chop them up, freeze them and ship the patties from the third world.

I'm not a vegetarian, but I believe in showing respect for the animals I eat. I'm happy to plonk down a little extra for free-range animals whenever I can find them. And I don't buy ground beef unless I see the butcher grind it.

The quantities of meat consumed by the average American are absolutely obscene. Part of this is the packaging and the hormones. The first thing I noticed when I moved to China was that the chicken breasts are about half the size of American ones and the meat is sold in packages about 1/4 the size of what you'd find in an American supermarket. And you know that's feeding a whole family, not just one person.

I think beef consumption and SUV driving and the most visible aspects of the unsustainability of the American way of life.

[0007]

8. It may be coming to a screeching halt soon........

U.S. accused of covering up mad cow cases

Last Updated Wed, 13 Apr 2005 06:34:49 EDT
CBC News

OTTAWA - The United States has covered up cases of mad cow disease in the past eight years, a former U.S. agriculture inspector said Tuesday at a House of Commons committee.

Read all about here............

http://www.cbc.ca/story/canada/national/2005/04/12/usbse050412.html

[shadowknows69]

10. my family hasn't eaen beef in about 2 years

because of stories like these that are just hitting the msm.

[0007]

11. Good for you. I would hope that the majority of the population

would take heed now instead of later on this issue.

A story was written some time back by a scientist that said there may be a link between Alzheimer's disease and mad cow disease. I'm in the process of try to find it....

[shadowknows69]

9. I still find it unfathomable that we import beef at all.

I'm sure there are no former cattle men in the U.S. that would rather be selling their stock.

[warrens]

12. We've been eating more than we grow since 1961

Actually, it's a bit deceptive. We export a lot too. There's zero market here for cattle tongue, liver, intestine, etc., but overseas, they are highly prized and command pretty good prices. Beef tongue goes for about $8 a pound wholesale in Japan, about 50 cents here. Also, we and Canada are the only significant producers of grain fed cattle, which have the marbling and taste that we associate with good beef. We export a lot of it to Asian markets. Well, we USED to export a lot of it.

[Javaman]

13. Wow, first it was TV's, then telemarketing, now beef...

Is there anything in this country that we produce or export?