“Re-opening China is a big deal,” noted Colin Woodall, Vice President of Government 
Affairs for NCBA in Washington and leads the Washington office in developing strategies to ensure that the cattle industry’s voice is being heard by policy makers.
“To be able to re-open a market that’s been closed for us for almost 14 years, I think, says a lot about our ability to just stay focused and keep the pressure on,” Woodall said.
Of course, the US beef producers want to send it to China, but China really wants it for their country’s consumers “They are. We know that this is something they’ve been waiting for as well,” said Woodall.
“When you look at all the efforts at the US Meat Export Federation, I think we’ll see even more of that. Especially as the loads really start to go into China and we really can do more full-on marketing with the Chinese consumer,” said Woodall. “I think we’re all going to be extremely surprised at just how big that market may ultimately be for us. Our job is to get the markets open and then let the marketers take it from there.”
And while there is a lot of beef coming into China from other countries, the US is going to focus on high quality beef. “We think so,” said Woodall. “When you look at 2016, Chinese imported about $2.6 billion worth of beef. That’s a significant market. I know that when you look at the quality of our product compared to all of the folks who are currently delivering beef into China, we can compete on them any day of the week and surpass the quality, surpass the taste, and surpass the eating experience. We have high hopes,” he said.
Woodall noted that there certainly is a difference in beef, particularly the difference that grain-fed quality US beef brings to the table.
“I think that we’re going to be able to see the Chinese market react much like our other Asian-Pacific markets have, and that is really driving towards a preference for our corn-fed beef and the way we just produce our product here in the United States,” he said.
“I believe the Chinese will do much like the Japanese have and others. I think that bodes well for our chances of really capitalizing on the increasing middle class that we have in China, the money that they will have to spend on food. We know that when people have more money for food, they like protein, and we just are doing everything we can to be the protein of choice,” Woodall said.
