Japanese Ag Corporation Visits Wyoming

The Wyoming Beef Council (WBC) partnered with the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) to educate Takanori Yamagami from Japan's Agriculture & Livestock Industries Corporation (ALIC) about beef production and handling in Wyoming.

The WBC, a five-member board of beef producers, works on behalf of the cattle growers of Wyoming to increase demand for beef nationally and internationally through promotion, education and research. Its programs are funded by the $1-per-head beef checkoff collected on all Wyoming cattle when they are sold.

Recognizing the importance of exports to the beef industry, the WBC has invested checkoff dollars in USMEF programs since the organization's inception. Beef and beef variety meats exported to Japan account for 20 percent by volume of total beef exports which added $1.4 million to the U.S. economy in 2013.

ALIC works with the Japanese Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries to provide agricultural and economic statistics related to livestock, farm, crop and trade to provide management stability for livestock, sugar and crop manufacturers. Mr. Yamagami, has worked for ALIC for four years and serves as one of four in the North American livestock and crop division of the organization. Japan's agriculture industry is highly subsidized, and much research is conducted to ensure the accuracy and viability of market stabilization measures.

While Yamagami has been to the United States several times in his career, this was his first trip to Wyoming.

Also while in Wyoming, Yamagami visited the University of Wyoming SAREC station, Western Sugar Cooperative in Torrington, Miller Feedlot, Renova Energy Ethanol plant, Torrington Livestock Auction and concluded with a flat iron steak dinner at the home of WBC Executive Director Ann Wittmann.

The visit to Wyoming was one phase of Yamagami's a month long visit to the U.S. From Wyoming, he spent time on a ranch in Colorado, visited the JBS Five Rivers Feedlot and packing plant before heading off to Iowa for corn production research.