…….. The large U.S. export trade in
meat offal follows a similar logic, but with a different set
of preferences. Edible byproducts of cattle and swine
slaughter, such as tongues, livers, intestines, and hearts,
are accorded a higher value in markets outside the
United States than inside the United States ……..
U.S. beef industry products are not distributed evenly
across all markets. The United States Meat Export
Federation analyzed data on U.S. exports of beef in 2000
and concluded that the three top export parts were the
short plate, the liver, and the short rib (United States
Meat Export Federation).3 The study estimated that
exports took 68 percent of the total U.S. short plate
production and 57 percent of short rib production. The
leading market, Japan, was focused on the short plate
and short rib. Together, these two cuts comprised about
50 percent of Japan’s beef imports from the United
States.
Over 50 percent of Korea’s imports from the
United States were the short rib and the chuck roll. Other
cuts, however, are exported much less. The tenderloin,
strip loin, and sirloin butt, for example, account for a
very small portion of exports. This indicates that it is
hard to bid these cuts away from U.S. consumers, who
place a relatively high value on them.