NCBA’s Kent Bacus on Beef Trade Frustrations and New Opportunities

Описание: In today’s beef buzz, senior farm and ranch broadcaster Ron Hays speaks with Kent Bacus, who works out of the Washington, D.C., office of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, about the state of global trade and its impact on U.S. cattle producers. The conversation focused heavily on lingering frustrations tied to lost export access and the need for stronger, more diversified trade relationships.

Bacus said the loss of the Chinese market continues to weigh heavily on the beef industry. “That was one of the biggest problems for us in 2025 was loss of the Chinese market,” he explained, noting that China had been worth about $1.4 billion annually. He added that Chinese consumers purchase cuts that have limited domestic demand, saying, “We don’t sell tongue and omasum in the large volumes here that we can in China, and the premiums we get have always been really good.” Bacus stressed, however, that the issue is political, not scientific, as China uses trade as leverage in broader negotiations with the United States.

While restoring access to China remains important, Bacus emphasized that overreliance on one market is risky. “China is not a trusted trade partner. Never have been,” he said, adding that producers need diversity and competition in export destinations. Southeast Asian markets like Vietnam, Thailand, and Indonesia offer promise, but Bacus pointed to high tariffs and non-tariff barriers as major obstacles. “Our competitors have really good access in each of those Southeast Asian markets,” he said, arguing that U.S. trade policy must catch up to remain competitive.

Bacus also reflected on setbacks since the Phase One trade deal, saying, “We’ve gone backwards since that phase one trade deal we had in the first Trump administration.” He criticized China for creating new barriers despite earlier commitments, explaining, “There’s no scientific justification for any of these restrictions that they’ve done. It’s all about leverage.” He added that even if export certificates were restored, additional regulatory hurdles would still need to be resolved before meaningful trade could resume.

On a more positive note, Bacus highlighted progress with the United Kingdom as a potential model for future agreements. “One of the big wins that we’ve seen so far is the fact that we now have access to the United Kingdom,” he said, referencing the new 13,000-metric-ton quota. While modest, Bacus noted it is a starting point. “You’ve got to think of it as a multi-step process,” he explained, describing a layered approach to trade deals that prioritizes initial access, followed by expanded negotiations and long-term stability. #cattlemarkets #herd #farming #ranching