LINCOLN – Nebraska beef will be on the menu at two events in London as the Nebraska Department of Agriculture (NDA) works to take advantage of a recent federal trade policy agreement with the European Union (EU).

 

Agriculture Director Greg Ibach announced today that beef from Nebraska will be featured this afternoon and this evening at two early Fourth of July receptions, hosted by American officials at the U.S. Embassy in London.  About 550 diplomatic officials and United Kingdom (UK) government and business representatives will be present at the receptions.  The second event, to be held July 9 will be at Automat Restaurant, a long-time purchaser of Nebraska beef.  About 125 chefs, food and beverage managers, restaurant owners and managers, and food store meat buyers, have been invited to this reception.

 

Ibach said these events were planned as U.S. government officials reached an agreement with European Union (EU) leaders earlier this year regarding ongoing access issues for American beef into the EU market.

 

“This is an excellent opportunity to showcase high-quality Nebraska beef to an audience who might not be aware of its availability in the UK and throughout the EU,” Ibach said.  “With the agreement to eliminate some tariffs on certain kinds of beef, we hope to jump start interest and position our product in order to gain some of this new market share.”

 

The Nebraska Beef Council is partnering with NDA on this promotion.

 

The United States and the EU have been in trade discussions since the late 1980s regarding the EU’s ban on imports of meat derived from animals treated with growth-promoting hormones.  The latest agreement, according to the USTR, will provide U.S. beef producers additional access, at zero duty, to the EU market for beef that is produced without growth-promoting hormones.  Previously, a 20 percent duty was in place.

 

NDA Agricultural Trade Representative Stan Garbacz said the elimination of the 20 percent tariff will make Nebraska non-hormone treated beef more price competitive with beef from other foreign markets that is entering the UK.

 

“There is a segment of our Nebraska beef industry that participates in the federal non-hormone treated cattle program in the hopes of gaining premiums for sales into the EU and other specialty markets,” Garbacz said.  “With these promotional efforts, we hope to gain a number of new customers throughout London and the broader UK.”

 

Gov. Dave Heineman and Director Ibach traveled with a delegation to the EU last fall to discuss biotechnology, beef, and other agricultural policy issues with key EU government and industry leaders.  The Governor and Ibach testified before the EU Parliament’s Agriculture and Rural Development Committee during the visit.

 

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service staff is assisting with the London promotions.