Teams of meat buyers from across the globe recently received a firsthand look at U.S. livestock and grain production before attending the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) Board of Directors Meeting and Product Showcase in St. Louis, Mo.

Wayne Humphreys hosted a team of buyers from Hong Kong and Taiwan at his farm near Columbus Junction, Iowa, where Humphreys raises corn, soybeans, hogs and cattle. Humphreys found it especially gratifying to meet up with the buyers again at the USMEF Product Showcase, where exporters displayed a wide range of U.S. pork, beef and lamb products.

Roger Zylstra’s farm near Lynnville, Iowa, hosted a team of buyers from Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan. Zylstra, who also raises corn, soybeans, hogs and cattle, said the buyers were intrigued by the efficient management practices and attention to detail at his operation.

In addition to the trade teams mentioned above, USMEF also hosted teams of meat buyers from Africa, the Caribbean, China, Central America, South America and South Korea, as well as three teams from Japan (pork retail, beef retail and foodservice) and three teams from Mexico (retail, foodservice and trade). In total, more than 130 buyers participated in the USMEF Product Showcase.