Colombia Lifts Ban on American Beef Imports

Colombia lifted a ban on American beef imports from the states where bird flu was detected in dairy cows. According to USDA’s export library, beef exporters in 14 states will get restored access to Colombian markets. Colombia was the only country to ban U.S. beef imports over the H5N1 outbreak in dairy cattle.

Agriculture Dive says Colombia’s ban hurt U.S. beef export purchases and reduced Colombia’s spending by as much as 70 percent during the summer. The U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) says the U.S. is Colombia’s largest supplier of imported beef.

Before the restrictions went into effect, Colombia averaged about three million dollars per month in U.S. beef purchases. In July, exports fell to less than $850,000. While Colombia is considered an active market for the U.S. beef trade, it still makes up a small percentage of total exports. The U.S. sent over $40 million in beef to Colombia in 2023.