U.S. beef exporters are navigating trade disruptions in China by expanding retail promotions in South Korea—particularly for short plate, a high-demand cut in Asian markets. About 95% of U.S. short plate is exported, primarily to Japan, China, South Korea, and Taiwan, where it is commonly used in hot pot and barbecue dishes.
Recent trade tensions have severely impacted exports to China. In April, retaliatory tariffs pushed the total duty on U.S. beef to 147%, later reduced to 32%—still much higher than the 12% for most suppliers. Meanwhile, Australian beef enters China duty-free. Compounding this challenge, China has not renewed many U.S. beef plant and cold storage registrations, rendering much of U.S. beef ineligible for export.
As a result, April beef exports to China dropped nearly 70% year-over-year to 5,326 metric tons, according to USDA data compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF).
In response, USMEF launched a seven-week retail promotion with Korea’s Lotte Mart, beginning May 3—branded as “Short Plate Day.” The campaign featured digital ads, influencer outreach, and in-store marketing, positioning short plate as a versatile option for home meals. Sales increased by 75% on average, prompting similar promotions by other major Korean retailers, including E-Mart and GS Super.
While short plate is already popular in Korean foodservice, USMEF is now focusing on retail and home-meal markets to diversify demand.
Despite China’s setbacks, U.S. beef exports have remained steady. From January to April, exports totaled 411,027 metric tons, down 3% from last year. Export value fell just 1% to $3.35 billion.
As talks with China resume, the U.S. beef industry continues to explore alternative markets and strategies to maintain global momentum.
