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Nebraska Corn Board works for increased U.S. beef exports to thNebraska Mention the Caribbean and the mind drifts away to white sandy beaches, palm trees and warm breezes. How about adding a juicy filet mignon to that picture? Using a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Emerging Markets Program, the Nebraska Corn Board helped co-sponsor a weeklong workshop in the U.S. for the Chief Veterinary Officers and other animal health officials of several Caribbean countries. The purpose of the presentations and tours was to update the officials on U.S. BSE safeguards and garner loyalty to U.S. beef products in a region that is one of the world's top tourist destinations. In addition to the Nebraska Corn Board, workshop sponsors included the U.S. Meat Export Federation, Nebraska Beef Council, Nebraska Cattlemen and Nebraska Farm Bureau. "The meetings in Washington D.C. and in Nebraska provided us with a great opportunity to hear from top USDA agency officials and see first hand the safety and quality of the U.S. and Nebraska beef supply," said Kelly Brunkhorst, ag promotion coordinator for the Nebraska Corn Board. "The issue of BSE has received a lot of attention in the Caribbean, and this grant allowed us to prove the safeguards that are present to ensure that the product they receive is the product that they request. Plus, Brazil and Argentina are strong competitors in that market." Brunkhorst said the Caribbean officials have considerable influence over importation regulations, including age restrictions, signature requirements and other standards. The workshop included presentations in Washington, D.C. from the USDA agencies of FSIS, APHIS, FDA and AMS. The group then took tours in Nebraska of Tyson, Circle 5 Beef, Aurora Cooperative Feed Mill and the U.S. Meat Animal Research. The meetings concluded with a tour and information session with Quirch Foods in Miami. Liz Wunderlich, Caribbean consultant to USMEF, said the workshop would help open doors for increased U.S. beef access in the Caribbean. "As the Caribbean export potential strengthens, it is important to work vigilantly on all beef access issues and continually update the CVO and other animal health officials about the steps the U.S. beef industry is taking to ensure beef safety," said Wunderlich. "Our goal with this team was to further open the markets that still have partial bans, and to keep open those islands that have full access." Brunkhorst said the project is another way that the Nebraska Corn Board is working to help grow the demand for Nebraska beef. "The livestock industry is our number one customer," Brunkhorst said. "We need to do everything we can to keep that industry going strong. Helping increase demand for Nebraska beef in foreign markets is just one of the ways we are doing that." The Nebraska Corn Board collects and disburses the funds generated by the 1/4 of a cent per bushel corn checkoff. Nebraska corn checkoff funds are invested in programs of market development, research and education. Date: 10/25/06
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