Pacific Rim | Pacific Longshoremen’s Dispute Puts Export Gains In Jeopardy ...

Pacific Rim

Pacific Longshoremen’s Dispute Puts
Export Gains In Jeopardy

“The Pacific longshoremen’s dispute will have a lasting effect on the nation’s meat trade with the Pacific Rim if it continues,” said USMEF President & CEO Philip Seng. “The United States has labored over the last 25 years to establish a reputation as a reliable partner, but this reputation is in jeopardy. Chilled U.S. beef and pork now make up more than half of our exports to Asia, and our customers in Japan — our No. 1 export market — South Korea, China and other Pacific countries will be forced to look for alternative chilled supplies very quickly since the dispute has cut the U.S. industry off from our best export markets.

“After it is over,” Seng pointed out, “even a weeklong strike would allow our competitors to make inroads into our customer base and establish a presence which our future efforts may fail to dislodge.”

Seng expressed his concerns yesterday to the USDA and other government officials in Washington and has kept in close contact with the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and the National Pork Board.

“I told Washington that food should be exempted from the dispute, especially perishables,” said Seng. “Some of the countries we export to import more than half of their food supplies and their people rely on inexpensive, quality meat and other food products from the United States. The U.S. government should see to it that trade in food continues through our ports.”

In 2001, the United States exported 1,026,695 metric tons of beef and pork — 57,000 containers — valued at more than $3.3 billion to Japan, South Korea, China, Hong Kong and the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN). The dispute could therefore cost the American industry as much as $9 million per day and affect cattle and hog prices all the way down the chain to the American producer.

Click for USMEF Annual Board of Directors Meeting Information and Registration Form; November 6-8, 2002 - Long Beach, California