Economic and Marketing Information
FOR INDIANA   FARMERS
Prepared by the Agricultural Staff of Purdue University, Lafayette, Indiana
July 31,   1963
The Rise In Meat Imports       reasons and remedies
by Don Paarlberg, Agricultural Economics
Quantity
Imports
of United
as per
Imports
States pro
cent of pro
Item
Value            Quantity
duction1
duction
The United States, once a net ex- bers of feeder cattle. Likewise signifi- Major United States export items
porter of animals and animal prod- cant were the "down under"  coun- in the livestock field are hides and
ucts,   has   become   a   net   importer tries,   Australia   and   New   Zealand, skins,  inedible tallow,  lard,  non-fat
(Table 1). which shipped in mostly boned beef dry milk (mostly donated), chicken,
Imports of beef and veal in 1962 for hamburger and processed meat, turkey and variety meats,
totaled a record  1.4 billion  pounds Europe supplied a surprising amount Roughly half our agricultural im-
(carcass weight equivalent). This was of meat, chiefly delicacies and spe- ports compete directly with our own
equivalent   to   nearly   9   percent   of cialty  products.  Argentina  was  an- production,  while the  other  half  is
United States production of beef and other supplier (Table 4). not directly competitive,
veal. In addition, 1,250,000 head of
cattle  and  calves  were  imported,  a Table 2.  Imports  of beef, veal and  cattle,  and  comparison with
number which equals 3.6 percent of United States production, 1962
the cattle slaughtered  (Table 2).
While beef was imported in greater
quantity than any other meat, substantial quantities of pork and lamb
also  were  shipped   into  the  country million million             million           percent
(Tablp 3) dollars pounds             pounds
''                             i.i. Meat Products
Meat and cattle on which import Beef:
duties were paid came from a large Bone-in, fresh, chilled, frozen  ^5.7 ^18.8
number of countries. Very important Canned, including corned   28.5 84.0
were our near neighbors, Canada and Pjckfled and c,ured    °'Q 9?1
°      . Veal, fresh or frozen      8.y 25.5
Mexico,   which  supplied  large  num- Other meat, canned, prepared,
or preserved, n.e.c.2   10.6 23.1
Table 1. Exports and imports of _,    .                                          ~312.I 9710
animals    and   animal   products, Total, carcass weight equivalent        1,454.0              16,300             8.9
1939-1962. 	
— -— million thousand          thousand          percent
Exports          Imports dollars head                    head
Total              Total Cattle and calves
Year                   animals          animals Under 200 pounds     2.0 66
beginning                 and                   and 200-700 pounds   85.4 1,042
July 1                 products        products 700 pounds and over, dairy      3.7 16
 ~  700 pounds  and  over,  n.e.s.3    19.3 109
thousand dollars
Average                                                „„ 0„0 Bulls for breeding      0.9 1
1939-43                 609,869              33d,342 c        for breedi          5.2 16
1944-48                  757,384               415,544 6                                          	
1949-53                 366,200              703,522 T . ,                                       H6.5 1,250                 34,700*             3.6
1954-58 597,464 549,486         — —	
An1o^o1ro                  M9 199               7R7 07^ iCommercial as reported, plus estimates for farm.
Kin                  St'irS               69S846 2*ot elsewhere classified.
luSlSl                £lml              %liu 3Not elsewhere specified.
Q*?"S                  ^'nod               82?3?5 thousand head slaughtered.
1961-621 627,094 tSZMia Source: Agricultural Marketing Service. Compiled from data of Foreign Agricultural
1 Preliminary Service.