From The USDA Briefing Room - Part 3

In recent years, the significant suppliers of U.S. beef imports have been Australia, Canada, and New Zealand. Most of the beef from Australia and New Zealand goes into processed products such as ground beef. The United States also imports a significant portion of its cooked beef from Argentina and Brazil. (U.S. imports from these countries are restricted to cooked products due to disease restrictions.) Their combined share of the U.S. beef market is less than half that of the three largest exporters. In 2004 and 2005, imports from Uruguay jumped significantly, as that country joined the competition for the U.S. manufacturing beef market. U.S. imports from Uruguay have been below 2005 levels, as Uruguay began selling to other countries formerly supplied by Brazil and Argentina, whose beef exports were somewhat reduced due to disease-related problems and internal political and economic issues.
Canada reported the discovery of a case of BSE in May 2003 and since has reported several additional cases. Cattle and beef products from Canada were barred from entry into the United States after the announcement. In August 2003, beef imports from Canada resumed but were restricted to boneless products from cattle under 30 months of age. In November 2007, imports of beef from cattle over 30 months of age resumed with the restriction that imports must be from animals born after Canada's March 1997 feed ban. (BSE is believed to be transmitted by feeding products derived from infected animals, such as meat and bone meal, and the current feed ban prohibits such parts from ruminant feeds.) APHIS provides news and documents on BSE developments.

Cow-Calf Operations

Cow-calf operations are located throughout the United States, typically on land not suited or needed for crop production. These operations are dependent upon range and pasture forage conditions, which are in turn dependent upon variations in the average level of rainfall and temperature for the area. Beef cows harvest forage from grasslands to maintain themselves and raise a calf with very little, if any, grain input. The cow is maintained on pasture year round, as is the calf until it is weaned. If additional forage is available at weaning, some calves may be retained for additional grazing and growth until the following spring when they are sold. The average beef cow herd is 40 head, but operations with 100 or more beef cows comprise 9 percent of all beef operations and 51 percent of the beef cow inventory. Operations with 40 or fewer head are largely part of multi-enterprises, or are supplemental to off-farm employment.