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Ricketts to lead trade mission to UK, Ireland in August
Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts has announced plans for a trade mission to the United Kingdom and Ireland this August to expand ag exports.
Buck Wehrbein with the Nebraska Beef Council says there’s opportunities for export growth with the UK. “We also have very similar priorities in animal health and welfare, food safety and sustainability. We can really work together.”
Data from the U.S. Census Bureau and U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Ag Service shows that exports from Nebraska to the United Kingdom and Ireland totaled around $1.065 billion from 2010-2020.
And, he says trade has added value to the producer’s beef. “This $400 plus that we’ve added to the value through exports, a lot of producers are not seeing that,” Wehrbein says. “It’s going to one sector and that’s a real issue and a big issue and we’re feverishly working on that. However, the point is if you don’t have a market for your product, you don’t have a product.”
British Ambassador Dame Karen Pierce spoke to members of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association at their national meeting last week and told Brownfield “I have been very encouraged when meeting the NCBA in DC and find a way through all of that and get to a deal and give everybody a good chunk of what they want. No one is going to get 100 percent but we do believe we can find a way through.”
Steve Wellman, the state’s ag director, says Nebraska can expand export markets particularly in beef, pork, corn and distillers grain with the two countries.
The trade mission is August 20-28.
