Latin American Buyers Attend Processing Seminar, Tour Nebraska Meat Industry

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The U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) brought importers from Mexico and Central and South America to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln for a global meat processing seminar, where they learned about the attributes of U.S. pork and beef. They also examined meat and livestock production trends, new techniques for processing, packaging and merchandising, and safeguards for ensuring product safety.

USMEF Secretary/Treasurer Dave Bruntz, a farmer and cattle feeder from Friend, Neb., took pride in welcoming the group to his home state.

The seminar included hands-on product development projects conducted in the university's meat lab. This was a highlight for Valery Ways, an importer from Barranquilla, Colombia.

Following the seminar, the delegation visited retail outlets and toured processing facilities, including the Certified Piedmontese plant in Lincoln and the Wholestone Prestage pork plant near Fremont, Neb. Chilean importer Jose Manuel Jarpa had purchased spareribs from Wholestone Prestage earlier this year, and the plant visit solidified his confidence in these products.

In addition to Mexico, Colombia and Chile, buyers also participated from El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Peru. The seminar and other activities were made possible through support from the National Corn Growers Association and the South Dakota Soybean Checkoff.

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