Now or never for new beef markets as Ireland enters US

It’s now or never, if the Irish beef industry is to break into new markets.

Sales to Russia are banned until next August, at the earliest; however, Ireland becoming the first European country to sell beef into the US in 15 years is one of the few bits of good news Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney has been able to give our cattle farmers all year.

The US has recently lifted BSE restrictions on Irish and European beef, which had been in place since 1999. Grass-fed, and from Irish farms that cannot use the growth hormones administered to most North American cattle, the beef is destined for a €700m per year ‘green beef’ market in America, which accounts for 8% of the US beef market.