USMEF Chairman Sees Optimism, Resiliency at World Pork Expo

USMEF Chairman Mark Jagels is interviewed by
Tom Brand of the National Association of Farm
Broadcasting at World Pork Expo

USMEF Chairman Mark Jagels attended the 2014 World Pork Expo this week, an event that drew 20,000 people to the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines.

“This was my first time at World Pork Expo, so it’s been a unique experience for me,” Jagels said. “I really appreciated the opportunity to meet with members of the National Pork Board and other pork industry leaders and provide them with an update on how their product is performing in the international markets.”

Jagels noted that despite being challenged by issues such as porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV), he finds U.S. pork producers to be optimistic about the industry’s future and determined to remain a world leader in pork exports.

“When we’re exporting 28 percent of our production and adding more than $60 per hog slaughtered, producers are excited about the export markets and determined to defend the international business they’ve developed,” he said. “It’s more important than ever to maximize the value of every carcass, and exports are a key component of that.”

While in Iowa, Jagels also met with visiting trade teams from China and Mexico. In addition to attending World Pork Expo, these teams received a farm-to-plate overview of the U.S. pork production system.

“Meeting with these international teams was a real highlight for me,” he said. “And I want to thank the USMEF member organizations that are based in Iowa for helping make their visit such a success.”

For more details from World Pork Expo, visit the event’s official website.