The Agriculture and Horticulture Development Boards (AHDB) is pushing for more showcasing of British farming through buyers in the US and China.

Awareness of British farming is rising rapidly among foreign consumers, which is highly important for beef, sheep meat and pig meat levy payers, AHDB said.

This comes after a recent rise in UK meat imports.

In the first half of 2026, UK beef exports to the US increased by 71%.

Meanwhile, 40% of pig meat exports for that period were shipped to China.

Mission

The AHDB recently hosted two inward missions to showcase the standards that can be seen throughout the production process of British foods.

Six representatives from different Chinese importing companies were invited by the ADHB to the UK to gain insight into the production standards and supply chains involved in the meat sector, particularly in pig meat.

The mission involved an 11-person Chinese delegation which included the vice president of the China Chamber of Commerce of Import and Export of Foodstuffs, Native Produce and Animal By-Products (CFNA).

The CNFA represents about 75% of all China's importers.

The ADHB also invited four representatives from the US on a week-long visit to learn more about beef, sheep meat, and pig meat production.

The visit included visits to farm and processor sites.

Visits

According to AHDB, these missions form part of its commitment to deliver a "comprehensive programme of activity" between the UK and oversees on behalf of its levy payers.

AHDB international trade development director Jonathen Eckley and pork sector director Mark Haighton attended the World Pork Conference in Qingdao, which allowed for building relationships with the Chinese meat industry.

A US visit, which coincided with the first tariff-free shipment of British beef arriving in the US as part of the UK-US Economic Prosperity Deal, saw AHDB chair Emily Norton as well as other industry leaders at the UK’s first dedicated agri-food trade mission to Washington DC.

Opportunities

In response to the visits, Eckley said: “Maintaining and nurturing positive links with importers and buyers is therefore imperative in supporting our levy payers to help maximise the opportunities in specific markets.”

AHDB international trade will continue in Paris this October at Salon International de l'Alimentation (SIAL) in Paris.

The "world's largest trade show" will be running from October 17-21.

The event will bring together UK exporters with existing customers and the opportunity to connect with potential new ones.