36 FarmNews First > BetterFarming.com Better Farming November 2016 MOE’S MARKET MINUTE Agriculture announced that the country’s ban (since 2003) on imports of U.S. and Canadian beef has been lifted. China, being potentially the largest market for beef in the world, could be a source of strong export demand lon- ger-term. For January through July of 2016, total U.S. beef export volume was up four per cent to 640,888 tons, while value fell 10 per cent to US$3.44 billion. Japan and South Korea continued to be top performers during this period. Exports accounted for 13 per cent of total U.S. beef production, but export value per head of fed slaughter was $251.82 for January through July, down 13 per cent over the first seven months of 2015. Looking at the spring and early summer North Ameri- can cattle placements, a lot of cattle would be put directly into the late summer finishing period. After seeing those high numbers of slaughters in the late summer and early fall, weekly slaughter numbers were reduced in late September and contributed to a decrease in beef supply SteveOehlenschlager/iStock/Getty Images Plus photo Having survived the downside on cattle prices, we may be headed towards an upward move in the cyclical beef industry.