Beef exports to Muslim-majority countries often hinge on halal certification, but those standards are far from uniform. Jim Remcheck, director of export services for the U.S. Meat Export Federation, notes that while halal beef has long been an important part of U.S. exports, “there are certain markets that have different requirements for what it means to be a halal certified beef product or halal certified beef slaughterhouse.”
Remcheck explains that a key role for USMEF is helping exporters navigate those differences. He says the organization works to ensure members “know exactly what they need to do to meet those requirements,” while also serving as a go-between with U.S.-based halal certifying bodies when communication is needed with foreign accrediting authorities. That coordination helps prevent misunderstandings that could disrupt access to important export markets.
Working alongside USDA, USMEF has recently helped regain halal access in several key countries. Remcheck points to the United Arab Emirates as a major success, explaining that U.S. beef faced about a six-month restriction before being reopened. “Through engagement and intervention, supported by research that was conducted at Colorado State University and validated in an implant setting,” he says, concerns about U.S. halal production methods were addressed and “we were able to get that market fully reopened.”
Indonesia followed a similar timeline, though with a different strategy. Remcheck says that “through a lot of engagement and in-person meetings with their halal accreditation authority,” the market was also fully reopened after about six months of closure. By late 2025, he adds, the reopening of these halal markets restored demand for products such as livers, other variety meats, and short plates — cuts that are “not widely utilized in the U.S.”
