In late September, Colombia repealed state-specific restrictions on imports of U.S. beef, which had been imposed following findings of H5N1 in dairy cows. Beginning in April, beef originating from states in which H5N1 was detected in dairy herds was deemed ineligible for Colombia. By August, the list of banned states had grown to 14.

U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) President and CEO Dan Halstrom praised Colombia’s decision to lift the restrictions and thanked U.S. government officials for their efforts in restoring market access.

“The science was always on our side, so it’s a relief to have Colombia fully reopened to U.S. beef,” Halstrom said. “This promising market – and the entire Latin American region – is increasingly competitive and it is critical that the U.S. remains a reliable supplier of high-quality beef. On behalf of USMEF and the U.S. beef industry, I want to thank USDA – and especially the USDA staff at the Foreign Agricultural Service post in Bogota – for prioritizing this issue and for their steadfast work in getting the market reopened.”

Halstrom added that USDA also played a key role in preventing H5N1-related restrictions from spreading beyond Colombia.

“There is always a concern that other trading partners will follow suit and enact similar trade barriers,” he explained. “There was a lot of effective, behind-the-scenes diplomacy that prevented this from happening.”

Colombia’s state-specific restrictions on U.S. beef, imposed from April through late September, took a major toll on exports to this promising market

While Colombia is a relatively small destination for U.S. beef, it is a growing market. Exports increased from just $3.4 million in 2012, the year the U.S.-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement was implemented, to a record $48 million in 2022. Last year Colombia was the 15^th largest export market for U.S. beef, with shipments valued at just under $40 million.

The U.S. is the largest supplier of beef to Colombia, and the trade impact of its import restrictions was dramatic. In 2023 and the first quarter of 2024, U.S. beef exports to Colombia averaged 623 metric tons (mt) per month, at an average monthly value of more than $3.2 million. From April through August, with state-specific restrictions in place, exports averaged just 137 mt, valued at $1.1 million. In August, with all 14 states ineligible, exports bottomed at 73 mt, valued at about $600,000. From the time restrictions began until the late-September repeal, USMEF estimates the cumulative loss of exports to be roughly $18 million.

USMEF Colombia Representative Maria Ruiz explained that the Canadian beef industry was the main beneficiary during the restrictions, courting major importers and conducting training seminars in several major cities in Colombia. Canada’s beef exports to Colombia soared to nearly $6 million in the first eight months of 2024, up from just $230,000 in the same period last year.

“Canada definitely saw this as an opportunity and pursued it very aggressively,” Ruiz said. “Canadian beef certainly gained some traction due to eligible supplies from the U.S. being limited and the uncertainty surrounding access for U.S. beef. Our focus is now on winning back this business and further expanding beef demand in Colombia.”

While Canadian beef is expected to be a more formidable competitor going forward, Ruiz noted that Colombian importers, retailers and foodservice clientele were very excited to see restrictions on U.S. beef come to an end. She added that the U.S. industry’s well-established presence in Colombia will provide an advantage in winning back market share, and these efforts will be enhanced by funding available through USDA’s new Regional Agricultural Promotion Program (RAPP). In early October, USMEF conducted a well-attended press event highlighting the full return of U.S. beef to the Colombian market, with U.S. industry representatives and key staff members from the U.S. Embassy in Bogota participating. November activities include participation in a major culinary awards ceremony honoring Colombian chefs, foodservice professionals and dining establishments.

The U.S. Meat Export Federation recently held a press event in Bogota highlighting the full return of U.S. beef eligibility in Colombia

USMEF Latin American Representative Homero Recio added that Canada was not the only competitor to capitalize on U.S. beef’s reduced presence in the Colombian market.

“While Colombian importers are very committed to American beef, the market being closed to several major beef-producing states put them in a difficult position,” Recio explained. “They had the same number of trucks, the same number of cold storage facilities and the same number of employees, but suddenly did not have enough beef to spread those costs against. So they had to diversify their source of supply, and we saw more product entering Colombia from countries like Chile and Uruguay. Their price point is lower than ours and lower than Canada’s, so this certainly caused some changes in the market.”  

Recio added that even those importers sourcing beef from states that remained eligible for Colombia had major concerns.

“They were left to wonder, ‘which state will be next?’” Recio said. “And will the state they’re  sourcing from get banned when their product is on the water? Will it clear customs? It was a very anxious and stressful time for these customers, and they are excited to put these obstacles behind them.”