Gov. Ricketts announces significant increase in Nebraska beef, pork exports in 2017

On Feb. 13, Gov. Pete Ricketts announced more good news in Nebraska’s No. 1 industry, agriculture. In 2017, Nebraska increased its total beef exports by 12 percent and its total pork exports by 20 percent, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Global Agricultural Trade System.

“This impressive growth in Nebraska’s beef and pork exports shows how effective international trade is to growing our state,” said Ricketts. “Nebraska producers always deliver high-quality products at competitive prices, and we will continue to open new markets and strengthen existing business so the producers in this state can keep feeding the world and growing Nebraska’s ag economy.”

Beef production is Nebraska’s largest industry. Nebraska’s 2017 total beef exports of $1.26 billion make it the largest beef exporting state in the U.S. for the second year in a row. This is Nebraska’s fourth year in a row with more than $1 billion in beef exports. Nebraska is a national leader in every aspect of the beef industry: cow/calf, backgrounding, corn, cattle feeding and processing.

The 2017 total pork exports of $479 million make Nebraska the fifth largest state in the U.S. in terms of pork exports.

“We are seeing steady gains in the beef trade and even larger gains in pork growth,” said Nebraska Department of Agriculture Director Steve Wellman. “Nebraska farmers and ranchers take great pride in the beef and pork they produce. Consumers around the world expect high-quality ag products from Nebraska and the increase in export numbers show that Nebraska producers are exceeding expectations.”