The Meat Corporation of Namibia (MeatCo) has scooped the best exporter to the United States of America award for this year. MeatCo says it went through a number of processes to ensure that its beef meets the required quality standards required by the US market. It says that it took four years of testing its health and safety measures and other requirements before exporting its first meat consignment to the US last year. The company shipped its first beef to the US in February last year, after sending various samples to that country's laboratories for testing. Since then, MeatCo says it has exported 19-thousand -807 metric tons of beef to the US. MeatCo says it uses the African Growth Opportunity Act (AGOA) provision to access the US as a strategic export market. The meat company has welcomed the award, stressing that it is an encouragement for future production. The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) organises the award in conjunction with the Namibian Manufacturers Association and the Industrialisation, Trade and SME Development ministry.