(NAFB) – U.S. beef exports soared to another new value record in August, topping the $1 billion mark for the first time.

The U.S. Meat Export Federation reports pork exports posted another strong month in August as well, remaining ahead of the record pace established in 2020. Led by record shipments to China and the largest exports of the year to Japan, August beef exports totaled 132,500 metric tons. Export volume was up 21 percent from a year ago, while export value climbed 55 percent to $1.04 billion. For January through August, beef exports increased 18 percent from a year ago to 955,400 metric tons, with value up 34 percent to $6.6 billion.

Pork exports totaled 225,800 metric tons in August, up four percent from a year ago, and value increased 20 percent to $633.9 million. For January through August, exports were 1.5 percent above last year at just over two million metric tons, while value climbed ten percent to $5.62 billion.