Brazilian Beef Imports

[HDRider]

What will this do to calf prices in the US?

On Friday, February 21, the United States reopened its border to fresh beef from Brazil after a more than two-year ban, according to a letter sent by the Food Safety and Inspection Service to the Brazilian agriculture minister, as reported by Bloomberg News.

The U.S. beef processing industry is highly consolidated, with four corporations controlling 85% of the market. The two largest beef processors operating in the U.S, JBS and Marfrig, are Brazilian corporations. JBS has admitted it acquired the top spot by bribing 1,800 Brazilian politicians to acquire government-backed loans to purchase major U.S. processing plants. JBS' market concentration in the beef, pork and poultry industry was gained through unfair and illegal competition.

The news comes on the heels of last week's announcement that JBS plans to purchase U.S.-based Empire Packing Co. for $238 million, giving it control of five additional production facilities located in Ohio, Tennessee and Washington. In August 2019, JBS announced that while China had suspended the purchase of U.S. agricultural products, it turned to JBS' Brazilian operations to supply its demand.

The U.S. had closed its border to Brazilian beef after numerous concerns were raised about its safety. In 2017, JBS was caught bribing meat inspectors and exporting adulterated rotten meat worldwide. Because the U.S. no longer requires mandatory Country-of-Origin Labeling on beef, and the USDA allows imported meat to be falsely labeled "Product of U.S.A.," consumers will not be able to distinguish between U.S. beef and the new imports.



https://competitivemarkets.com/fueling-beef-monopoly-expansion-u-s-lifts-two-year-ban-on-brazilian-beef-imports/

 

[HDRider]

I expect a punch in the gut

 

[HDRider]

He said the Secretary's own economic analysis shows unequivocally that cattle producers would be hardest hit by raw beef imports from Brazil: "By far, the largest share of the welfare loss would be incurred by cattle producers, at $143 million," states the Secretary's economic analysis for Brazil.

"But the Secretary rationalizes this hit on America's cattle producers by assuming that the cheaper beef derived from cheaper cattle in Brazil would provide America's consumers with lower-cost beef and more choices," Bullard said.

Indeed, the CME Group, a global securities and commodity exchange company, had reported in early January that the price of Brazilian steers was 40% less than the price of U.S. fed steers based on November 2019 pricing data.

But Bullard contends these cheaper cattle do not result in cheaper beef or more choices for American consumers.

"The Secretary's assumption is false as imported beef can be sold to American consumers with nothing but a USDA (U.S. Department of Agriculture) safety inspection sticker, meaning consumers cannot distinguish this cheaper beef from the superior, safer and higher-quality beef produced by America's cattle farmers and ranchers, though the inspection sticker leads every consumer to erroneously believe all the beef available in the grocery store is USA beef," Bullard commented.

https://www.tsln.com/news/r-calf-usa-african-and-brazilian-beef-imports-are-deliberate-attempt-to-destabilize-u-s-cattle-industry/

 

[Caustic Burno]

Foreign dollars at work in the swamp for the general public of Brazil.
Those foreign aide dollars at work took from us. It's only a little over a billion to Brazil.

 

[Bigfoot]

The writing is on the wall. At this point, anybody that doesn't see it is not looking. Hate to be negative, but we are seen as expendable.

 

[hurleyjd]

Do you folks remember when Trump had all the Farmers at the White house and had a photo on TV with them. The two men with the cowboy hats on were the owners of JBS a Brazilian company. They also got 67 million dollars of the farmer bailout because of the trade was with China.

 

[Chocolate Cow2]

And I'd bet you the farm JBS bribed American politicians. If it worked for them in Brazil, it would work here too.

 

[Caustic Burno]

And I'd bet you the farm JBS bribed American politicians. If it worked for them in Brazil, it would work here too.

With our own tax dollars! How much of that billion in foreign aide dollars to Brazil do you think made it back to the swamp.
Dad always said Washington was two snakes a red and blue one. One enslaved you the other you were indentured servant for life.