Launching Irish beef with Bord Bia in Chicago this week, Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney described what he thinks is a significant opportunity for Irish beef sales in the US. The Minister was taking part in a trade mission in the States.

Speaking to an invited audience of mainly large red meat buyers and American restaurant owners, the Minister said Irish authorities had worked hard with US regulators to get Irish beef into the US.

He said: “We are the only European country to be allowed supply the US market and likely to be the only European country for some time.”

Minister Coveney emphasised the role Irish beef can play in the premium cut category and he extolled the virtues of programmes such as Origin Green that reinforce the clean green image of Irish beef abroad.

Beef prices are at an all-time high in the US, with dairy farmers getting over $350 (€313) and up to $550 (€492) for three-day-old Holstein bull calves. Cull Holstein cows are making over $1,800 (€1,612) each.

Unfortunately, issues around manufacturing beef entering the US persist and industry sources suggest it is likely to be at least two to three months before remaining issues are resolved.

Coveney said: “We have only one significant issue left to resolve and I’m certain in coming weeks or at the very outside in the next two months that Irish manufacturing beef will be allowed into the US.”

In total, since the announcement late last year that Irish beef was allowed into the US, over 300t of steak (about €2m worth of product) has been shipped to the US, but as the Minister repeatedly reinforced, “the business is only starting”.

He said: “Five Irish plants are now approved to process product destined for the US and soon that will be six. Americans eat twice as much beef as Europeans on average so it’s a huge market and grass-fed Irish beef has a distinction that those selling the meat can charge a premium for.”

The Minister is attending events for Ornua, Glanbia, and Carbery, marking the growing presence of Irish dairy companies in the US.