From Meat Lab to Marketplace: Importers Discover U.S. Beef and Pork Innovations through USMEF Seminar in Nebraska

Supported by funding from the National Corn Growers Association, the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) orchestrated a highly informative seminar that convened meat importers from Mexico, Central America and South America in Nebraska. This immersive event aimed to provide these importers with a comprehensive understanding of the merits and distinctive qualities of U.S. beef and pork.

Sebastian Gré, the USMEF program coordinator in Santiago, Chile, emphasizes, "This idea of bringing them here to work with the meat, work with people who know what they are doing and love what they do, it's going to make a whole difference. They are going to understand the importance of having a great raw material whether it's U.S. pork or U.S. beef."

Held over a two-day span at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL), the seminar covered an array of topics, uncovering the intricacies of meat quality characteristics, cutting-edge processing methods, and the critical role of proper freezing and thawing techniques for meat products, says a recent release. Additionally, the seminar delved into effective packaging strategies for ready-to-cook and ready-to-eat items.

The immersive learning experience unfolded at UNL's Loeffel Meat Laboratory, providing participants with hands-on opportunities to engage in cutting, flavoring and processing techniques using U.S. pork loin and U.S. beef cuts sourced from the round primal.

Courtney Heller, USMEF export services director, adds, "I love how excited they are about getting involved in the projects in the meat lab. So, I love and they love the aspect of hands on work with actual meat and with some of the equipment like tumblers and injectors to really work together creatively outside of their typical processing facilities, and just get to try new things."

Attendee Alejandro Montoya from Grupo Nutresa in Medellin, Colombia, emphasizes the value of such events, stating, "When we go abroad to these sort of seminars, we are always seeking new products, final products, packaging trends and different product trends."

This comprehensive educational journey extends beyond the seminar itself. Attendees gain invaluable insights into effective pork and beef merchandising during visits to specialized meat shops and local supermarkets.

Going beyond the "classroom," importers received firsthand exposure to cattle feeding practices through a visit to Champion Feeders near Mead, Neb. Furthermore, a tour of the Wholestone Farms pork plant near Fremont, Neb., enhanced their grasp of the intricate U.S. meat production process.