A team of livestock and grain producers traveled with the U.S. Meat Export Federation to Monterrey, Mexico for a firsthand look at market conditions and to participate in a local trade show. The group also visited a broad selection of retail outlets featuring U.S. beef, pork, and lamb, ranging from traditional markets to Costco, as well as high-end grocery stores and butcher shops.
David Hardin, a corn, soybean, and pork producer from Indiana, says the interactions showed that while Mexico is a well-developed market, there is still potential for growth, particularly for the higher-value products. Matthew Lucas, an Indiana grain and pork producer, says the trip gave him a close-up view of the growing competition in Mexico and the work USMEF does to defend the U.S. industry’s hard-earned position as the market’s top red meat supplier. Mexico was the top destination for American pork last year at a record 1.15 million metric tons.
