The USDA also forecasts a 4.9 pound (retail weight) per capita decline in U.S. beef consumption from 2007 to 2017, with a 1.3 pound per capita decline during 2008. These estimates reflect tight beef supplies going forward, and also indicate that a supply constraint was used in USDA's export forecast.

These foregin exporters got cheap beef to send to high value country's (US)at the local rancher's diemise.