Last week, federal officials confirmed that the Colombian government lifted its ban on US beef exports to the country after there were concerns in April about highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in dairy cattle.
According to the Export Library for Colombia, exports were open to all 14 states that were banned this summer.
President and CEO of the United States Meat Export Federation, Dan Halstrom released a statement thanking the USDA and it's various agencies involved in restoring the states' access back to the Colombian market.
"The USDA staff posted in Bogota, in particular, worked tirelessly to get these restrictions lifted. We are also grateful to Colombian importers and customers who remained loyal to U.S. beef during this difficult time and who voiced their concerns to the Colombian government about the interruption in trade," said Dan Halstrom in a statement.
Back in April, USMEF stated that the United States is Colombia’s biggest supplier of imported beef, with shipments of US beef to Colombia in 2023 valued at $40 million.
"While Colombia was the only destination to officially restrict imports of U.S. beef as a result of H5N1 findings in dairy cows, the impact on beef exports was substantial. Prior to the restrictions imposed in April, Colombia was a promising market averaging about $3 million per month in U.S. beef purchases. In July – the most recent month for which data is available – exports fell to less than $850,000. We look forward to rebuilding U.S. beef’s presence in the Colombian market and meeting the needs of our valued customers," said Halstrom.
