Jeff Bingaman United States Senator from New Mexico

U.S. SENATOR Jeff Bingaman

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Contact Senator Bingaman's Office:

Jude McCartin
Maria Najera
703 Hart Building
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510
(202) 224-5521

Bingaman Advocates for New Mexico Cattle Ranchers

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman is working to open up export markets to New Mexico cattle ranchers.

Bingaman was a cosponsor of a Senate-passed resolution that seeks to open up greater opportunities for New Mexico beef exports, which is a major part of our state's agricultural economy.  In 2008, the last year that data are available, sales of beef cattle in New Mexico were $1 billion.

"Cattle ranching is not only a major part of our state's cultural identity, it's also the backbone of our economy.  My goal is to find ways to expand New Mexico cattle ranchers' opportunities to export," Bingaman said.

In 2008 the American beef industry had a value of $76 billion, while only 7.1 percent of beef production was exported; it was roughly 10 percent in 2003.

Specifically, the resolution calls on seven countries that imposed unfair restrictions against U.S. beef exports to reopen their markets to American exports.  The restrictions were based on the discovery of bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or mad cow disease, in one Canadian-born cow.  No traces of the disease were ever found in American-born cattle.  Before the current restrictions U.S. beef exports to China, Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea, Mexico, and Vietnam were valued at about $3.3 billion; this revenue has declined sharply since 2004.

"American cattle producers grow some of the best beef in the world, yet they have been unfairly blocked from exporting into these important markets," Bingaman said.  "It's time for the United States to press its case on behalf of ranchers in New Mexico and across the West."