Wagyu Breed, Association Continue Rapid Growth
The trajectory for Wagyu cattle in the United States is positive and will likely be sustainable for the foreseeable future, due to the exceptional flavor profile of Wagyu beef.
Speaking at the 2022 “Shaping the Future” Annual Conference of the American Wagyu Association (AWA) in Charleston, South Carolina, AWA Executive Director Dr. Robert Williams told Wagyu producers that they’ve got a lot to be excited about. As he travels to events and sales in the Wagyu world, “the buzz and activities going on are exciting. And the sales; just phenomenal.”
Williams said that he often runs into a friend or acquaintance in the beef business at a Wagyu sale who’s not associated with Wagyu.
“They’re there to look it over. They’re thinking about it. It’s on their mind. Two years, three years, four years ago, it wasn’t.”
Much of that is due to the strong and growing demand for Wagyu beef. Because of the unique flavor profile and remarkable marbling, most Wagyu breeders have developed a farm to fork marketing plan.
“As a result, our breed has a closer relationship to consumers than any other breed in the country,” Williams said. “You’ve got to reach out to consumers, and nobody does it better than we do.”
On a year over year basis, Wagyu registrations are up 23 percent; DNA work is up 13%; new registration transfers are up 10 percent; and membership is up 24 percent, he said. The first few months of AWA’s fiscal year saw an 88 percent increase in member services, which is the business that comes in that AWA charges for; a 30 percent increase in livestock registry fees; and a 231% increase in breeder advertising.
“Keep it up,” Williams told the Wagyu breeders at the conference. “I applaud the membership for what you’re doing. You’re driving the organization forward.”
