Duty-Free Quota Creates New Opportunities for U.S. Beef Access in UK

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U.S. beef recently regained duty-free access to the United Kingdom under a 13,000 metric ton quota included in the trade framework reached by the Trump administration last year. The quota provides the first zero-duty access to the UK since its exit from the European Union in 2020. The first U.S. beef shipments under the new, duty-free quota arrived in March and was celebrated by a pair of events hosted by the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) in London last week. Those events included a reception at the U.S. Embassy in London and a dinner for the British trade at Smith & Wollensky steakhouse.

USMEF Chair Jay Theiler of Agri Beef visited a variety of retailers in London and says he sees great new opportunities for U.S. beef in the marketplace, especially with the rapid growth of home meal replacement kits. Leona McManamon, a senior buyer for Costco in the UK, meanwhile, notes that the chain's tasting samples will offer shoppers a key opportunity to see the difference between U.S. grain-finished beef and the grass-fed product typically available in the market.

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