U.S., China Announce Progress on Pork Ban
U.S., China Announce Progress on Pork Ban
The United States and China today announced that steps are being made toward the lifting of China’s ban on U.S. pork.
U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack met this week with Chinese Vice Premier Wang Qishan and Agriculture Minister Sun Zhengcai to discuss trade issues, and the reopening of the Chinese market to U.S. pork and live hogs on a basis consistent with international scientific standards was a key item of discussion.
In 2008, China was the U.S. pork industry’s fastest growing market, accounting for $560 million in U.S. exports. The pace of exports slowed considerably in early 2009, but China was still the sixth-largest volume market for U.S. pork through April. But in May, China stopped all imports after the H1N1 flu virus reached the United States.
"Since this is a new disease, it takes time to understand it," China's agriculture minister Sun Zhengcai said to reporters. "This decision was based on scientific analysis and assessment. It is my hope the U.S. side will follow the Chinese requirements to safely resume exports of pork products to China."
“Clearly, China is an important export market for the U.S. pork industry,“ said Jon Caspers, a pork producer from Swaledale, Iowa, and USMEF chairman. “We are anxious to resume exports to China, but it is very important that we understand the terms and conditions under which China plans to reopen the market. Until then, this looks like a positive first step.”
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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.
U.S., China Announce Progress on Pork Ban
The United States and China today announced that steps are being made toward the lifting of China’s ban on U.S. pork.
U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack met this week with Chinese Vice Premier Wang Qishan and Agriculture Minister Sun Zhengcai to discuss trade issues, and the reopening of the Chinese market to U.S. pork and live hogs on a basis consistent with international scientific standards was a key item of discussion.
In 2008, China was the U.S. pork industry’s fastest growing market, accounting for $560 million in U.S. exports. The pace of exports slowed considerably in early 2009, but China was still the sixth-largest volume market for U.S. pork through April. But in May, China stopped all imports after the H1N1 flu virus reached the United States.
"Since this is a new disease, it takes time to understand it," China's agriculture minister Sun Zhengcai said to reporters. "This decision was based on scientific analysis and assessment. It is my hope the U.S. side will follow the Chinese requirements to safely resume exports of pork products to China."
“Clearly, China is an important export market for the U.S. pork industry,“ said Jon Caspers, a pork producer from Swaledale, Iowa, and USMEF chairman. “We are anxious to resume exports to China, but it is very important that we understand the terms and conditions under which China plans to reopen the market. Until then, this looks like a positive first step.”
# # #
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.