EU HQB Quota Reaches Quota Fill Ceiling as Argentina Secures Access

For the first time since the High Quality Beef (HQB) quota was increased to 48,200 tons in 2012, the European Union’s (EU) quota for non-hormone treated beef could be filled during the first quarter quota tier ending on September 30, 2014. In addition, Argentina’s recent approval to gain access to the HQB quota is likely to exacerbate the situation and may result in a further erosion of the U.S. share of the HQB quota in the future.