U.S. Meat Exports in Jeopardy as China Halts Registrations

China has let the export registrations of over 1,000 U.S. meat plants expire, threatening American exports to the world’s largest meat buyer amid escalating trade tensions.

The lapse, which affects major producers like Tyson Foods, Smithfield Packaged Meats, and Cargill Meat Solutions, comes as part of a broader trade standoff that has already seen Beijing impose $21 billion in tariffs on U.S. farm goods.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture says China ignored repeated requests to renew the registrations, potentially violating the Phase 1 trade agreement. While some shipments continue to clear customs, uncertainty looms over future exports.