Dear Fellow Nebraskans:

I write this week very pleased with the progress made recently in restoring exports of U.S. beef to Japan. The diligence of all those who worked to pursue the normalization of trade with this vital market has finally been rewarded, and I am delighted to report that our state lost no time in working to regain the ground in the Japanese market.

Over the last two years, Nebraska’s beef industry was faced with the reality of the sudden loss of many of our most reliable export markets. As the largest market for Nebraska beef abroad and our third leading trade partner overall, Japan was a top priority in working to promote the safety of U.S. and Nebraska beef and to argue for the resumption of trade.

We have put the safeguards needed to ensure the safety of both the cattle raised in this state and safety of consumers purchasing beef here at home and around the world. It took two years, but our producers finally have good news to celebrate, and Japan’s recent decision to partially lift its ban on imports of U.S. beef 20 months of age and younger represents a very important step in restoring confidence among our international trading partners.

We have long advocated that our food products are some of the safest anywhere in the world, and to see a major export market like Japan re-open its doors is a crucial step in the fight to regain ground.

We saw positive progress this fall with the approval of a report by the Japanese Food Safety Commission concluding that U.S. beef is safe if proper production protocols are followed. The Japanese Ambassador said during a visit to our state the week before that he expected the commission to endorse the safety of U.S. beef.

We began planning immediately for an aggressive re-entry into the Japanese market with hopes the ban on U.S. beef would be lifted before the end of the year. Our goal was to position Nebraska to be among the first to send shipments of beef to Japan.

We were not only the first to have shipments of beef received and approved for distribution, but were the first to host an event in Japan featuring U.S. beef. The reception held in Tokyo was an important opportunity to reassure Japanese officials and former customers that U.S. beef is safe, in addition to demonstrating that the quality of Nebraska beef remains among the best in the world.

More than 40 beef importers, chefs and restaurant owners, business leaders and government officials attended the event where rib eye steaks and beef tenderloin from cattle raised in Nebraska were served. Our delegation heard from a number of individuals who expressed interest in purchasing Nebraska beef in the coming months. The positive response is particularly encouraging because in Japan, establishing and maintaining personal relationships is an important part of any business agreement.

While the current agreement is not a full restoration of trade, it is a major step in the right direction that provides our state the opportunity to pursue new relationships important to our future as an international trading partner. Japan once represented more than half of our state’s beef export market, and my hope is that U.S. and Japanese officials will continue working towards the full restoration of trade.

The successful re-entry to the Japanese market is a key part of our efforts to promote Nebraska as a reliable trade partner for high-quality beef products. I am confident that the decision to re-establish trade in this area will help open the door for other Asian markets to lift ongoing bans on U.S. beef. In the meantime, we hope that by being the first to return to Japan, our companies will have a leg up as they work to re-establish exports with companies and demand among consumers.

I can think of no greater Christmas present for the hard working farmers and ranchers whose products have resulted in Nebraska being the leading processor of beef in the U.S., and I look forward to pursuing additional opportunities in the year ahead.