The U.S. Meat Export Federation was in Monterrey, Mexico recently getting a firsthand look at market conditions. Indiana producers were on the trip along with other farmers, and they toured retail outlets that feature U.S. beef, pork and lamb. Those outlets include traditional markets, high-end grocery stores and butcher shops, and even Costco.
Indiana corn, soybean and pork producer David Hardin says Mexico is a well-developed market, but there is room for growth.
“It’s not just the growth potential for volume, but also the growth potential for higher grade and higher end price products,” he said. “Obviously, if we can move the higher end products here, that’s going to put more dollars back in the pockets of the growers on the other end of the chain.”
While U.S. market share of red meat in Mexico is an advantage, Matthew Lucas (pictured,) also an Indiana grain and pork producer, says we can’t rest on laurels.
“There is clearly a lot of competition that is starting to arise in this market, and we certainly don’t want to lose the market share that we currently have,” Lucas explained.
The trip gave Lucas a close-up view of that growing competition in Mexico and the importance of the work of USMEF.
“I think the biggest thing that’s jumped out at me at the convention center is just the amount of effort that USMEF pours into helping our U.S. companies export meat into Mexico. Mexico is one of our biggest markets. I think the statistic is that 40% of Mexico products are imported, and then of that, 80% is originating from the U.S. And so we have to work really, really hard to defend what we’ve already got, and that’s what USMEF is doing.”
And according to Hardin, even with the threat of tariffs and the potential impact on trade, “we feel that there’s still enough demand for good American pork and beef here in Mexico, that hopefully we’re going to be able to get things sorted out.”
Hardin add that they “have had very good discussions with processors that buy our Indiana animals and are moving product into the Mexican market.”
USMEF also visited Expo Carnes, in Monterrey, the largest red meat trade show in Latin America. In addition to hosting a pavilion of U.S. exporters inside the show, USMEF also conducts large grilling demonstrations outside the show’s entrance, featuring the USMEF mobile grill truck.
Mexico was the leading destination for U.S. pork in 2024 at a record-setting 1.15 million metric tons, valued at $2.6 billion. Beef exports to Mexico climbed 13% in value to $1.35 billion in 2024, with volume up 10% at 232,488 metric tons.
