Potential End to China Poultry Ban Could Benefit U.S. Pork Exports

Potential End to China Poultry Ban Could Benefit U.S. Pork Exports

U.S.lawmakers negotiating an agricultural spending bill today sent a signal to China that could lead to an end to the U.S. ban on Chinese poultry imports and improve the prospects for removing impediments to U.S. pork exports to the largest pork-consuming nation in the world.

Conferees on the agriculture appropriations bill added text to the FY 2010 agriculture appropriations conference report regarding the use of appropriated funds by USDA with respect to potential imports of poultry products from China. The bill would allow USDA to use appropriated funds in FY 2010 to promulgate or implement a rule allowing imports of processed poultry or poultry products from China.

The provisions regarding Chinese poultry would be effective only after the Secretary of Agriculture notifies Congress that certain food safety conditions have been met.  

“This action by the conferees on the agriculture appropriations bill could have very important implications for U.S. agriculture, including the U.S. pork industry,” said Jon Caspers, chairman of the USMEF executive committee and a pork producer from Swaledale, Iowa.   “It gives USDA the resources it needs to put in place the budget to perform the necessary inspections and monitoring functions to ensure the safety of food imported to the United States, and it could be a key step in resolving the issues that currently are keeping U.S. pork out of this major export market.”

Last year, the Greater China/Hong Kong region imported more than 880 million pounds of U.S. pork and pork variety meat valued at nearly $690 million, making it the No. 2 destination for U.S. pork.  It accounted for more than 19 percent of all pork exported by the United States.

Through the first seven months of 2009, pork exports to China/Hong Kong are off 52 percent.   One key factor in the drop-off has been Chinese bans on U.S. pork in the wake of the H1N1 flu outbreak, despite statements from the international scientific community that there is no connection between pork meat and the flu virus.

“USMEF has been actively involved in bringing the pork safety message to our international markets, and our team in China looks forward to improved access to this vital market of 1.3 billion consumers,” said Caspers.

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The U.S. Meat Export Federation (www.USMEF.org) is the trade association responsible for developing international markets for the U.S. red meat industry and is funded by USDA, exporting companies, and the beef, pork, corn and soybean checkoff programs.

For more information, contact Jim Herlihy at jherlihy@usmef.org.

USMEF complies with all equal opportunity, non-discrimination and affirmative action measures applicable to it by contract, government rule or regulation or as otherwise provided by law.

Potential End to China Poultry Ban Could Benefit U.S. Pork Exports

U.S.lawmakers negotiating an agricultural spending bill today sent a signal to China that could lead to an end to the U.S. ban on Chinese poultry imports and improve the prospects for removing impediments to U.S. pork exports to the largest pork-consuming nation in the world.

Conferees on the agriculture appropriations bill added text to the FY 2010 agriculture appropriations conference report regarding the use of appropriated funds by USDA with respect to potential imports of poultry products from China. The bill would allow USDA to use appropriated funds in FY 2010 to promulgate or implement a rule allowing imports of processed poultry or poultry products from China.

The provisions regarding Chinese poultry would be effective only after the Secretary of Agriculture notifies Congress that certain food safety conditions have been met.  

“This action by the conferees on the agriculture appropriations bill could have very important implications for U.S. agriculture, including the U.S. pork industry,” said Jon Caspers, chairman of the USMEF executive committee and a pork producer from Swaledale, Iowa.   “It gives USDA the resources it needs to put in place the budget to perform the necessary inspections and monitoring functions to ensure the safety of food imported to the United States, and it could be a key step in resolving the issues that currently are keeping U.S. pork out of this major export market.”

Last year, the Greater China/Hong Kong region imported more than 880 million pounds of U.S. pork and pork variety meat valued at nearly $690 million, making it the No. 2 destination for U.S. pork.  It accounted for more than 19 percent of all pork exported by the United States.

Through the first seven months of 2009, pork exports to China/Hong Kong are off 52 percent.   One key factor in the drop-off has been Chinese bans on U.S. pork in the wake of the H1N1 flu outbreak, despite statements from the international scientific community that there is no connection between pork meat and the flu virus.

“USMEF has been actively involved in bringing the pork safety message to our international markets, and our team in China looks forward to improved access to this vital market of 1.3 billion consumers,” said Caspers.

# # #

The U.S. Meat Export Federation (www.USMEF.org) is the trade association responsible for developing international markets for the U.S. red meat industry and is funded by USDA, exporting companies, and the beef, pork, corn and soybean checkoff programs.

For more information, contact Jim Herlihy at jherlihy@usmef.org.

USMEF complies with all equal opportunity, non-discrimination and affirmative action measures applicable to it by contract, government rule or regulation or as otherwise provided by law.