Audio: U.S. Pork Industry Leader Takes Part in Historic Joint Conference in China
Published: Oct 01, 2012
Recently a first-of-its-kind hog summit brought together industry leaders from the world’s largest pork producer and importer (China) with the world’s largest pork exporting country (the United States). It was truly a collaborative effort with multiple organizers and sponsors from both countries, including: the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF), the U.S. Grains Council and the U.S. Department of Agriculture along with the China Animal Agriculture Association, China’s Center for Agricultural Policy and the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
Major topics included the changing structure of U.S. and China’s hog industries, waste management and sustainability, food safety and disease control and food security. One of the featured speakers was North Carolina pork producer Henry Moore, owner-operator of Bobcat Farms, LLC and a member of the National Pork Board. In the attached audio report, Moore explains the key objectives behind the conference and the long-term benefits this type of meeting holds for the U.S. pork industry.
TRANSCRIPT:
Joe Schuele: This is Joe Schuele with the U.S. Meat Export Federation Report. Last week, a first of its kind, Hog Summit, brought together industry leaders form the world’s largest pork producer and importer, China, with the world’s largest exporting country, the United States. Topics included the changing structure of the world’s hog industries, waste management, sustainability, food safety and disease control, and food security. One of the featured speakers was North Carolina Pork Producer, Henry Moore, owner and operator of Bobcat Farms and a member of the National Pork Board.
Henry Moore: One important question I was asked was why I felt it was important for me to talk Chinese producers and tell them how we do things. Particularly because I was there on behalf of USMEF and, you know, we’d like to export more of our pork to China. And I told them I thought it was about building trust and relationships with those producers. I think everyone recognized that China’s not quite to this point of sustainability on their food supply – they’re going to have to buy pork from somewhere. Hopefully, by working with their producers, perhaps there will be a little bit of loyalty there to those producers to not be so opposed to pork from the U.S. coming into the country. To build that relationship, just like we do here in the U.S. as farmers, we work together; even though we all sell a similar product – we all raise pigs. We work together quite a bit and share ideas and bounce things off each other, they help someone else improve. That’s what I was thinking about in China, part of my reason for feeling like it was fine sharing my ideas with them.
Joe Schuele: Moore said that while the U.S. industry is always looking to grow global market share, it’s also important to grow the overall demand for protein.
Henry Moore: Expanding the protein pie, that’s a good way to put it. Big opportunity there is getting our chilled and fresh product into China, like we do in Japan. A lot of people to feed over there, and I think our opportunity is as the economy grows, so will the consumption of meat. Certainly, building trust with those folks is probably the first step to getting more U.S. pork into China.
Joe Schuele: For more on this and other trade issues, please visit USMEF.org.
Major topics included the changing structure of U.S. and China’s hog industries, waste management and sustainability, food safety and disease control and food security. One of the featured speakers was North Carolina pork producer Henry Moore, owner-operator of Bobcat Farms, LLC and a member of the National Pork Board. In the attached audio report, Moore explains the key objectives behind the conference and the long-term benefits this type of meeting holds for the U.S. pork industry.
TRANSCRIPT:
Joe Schuele: This is Joe Schuele with the U.S. Meat Export Federation Report. Last week, a first of its kind, Hog Summit, brought together industry leaders form the world’s largest pork producer and importer, China, with the world’s largest exporting country, the United States. Topics included the changing structure of the world’s hog industries, waste management, sustainability, food safety and disease control, and food security. One of the featured speakers was North Carolina Pork Producer, Henry Moore, owner and operator of Bobcat Farms and a member of the National Pork Board.
Henry Moore: One important question I was asked was why I felt it was important for me to talk Chinese producers and tell them how we do things. Particularly because I was there on behalf of USMEF and, you know, we’d like to export more of our pork to China. And I told them I thought it was about building trust and relationships with those producers. I think everyone recognized that China’s not quite to this point of sustainability on their food supply – they’re going to have to buy pork from somewhere. Hopefully, by working with their producers, perhaps there will be a little bit of loyalty there to those producers to not be so opposed to pork from the U.S. coming into the country. To build that relationship, just like we do here in the U.S. as farmers, we work together; even though we all sell a similar product – we all raise pigs. We work together quite a bit and share ideas and bounce things off each other, they help someone else improve. That’s what I was thinking about in China, part of my reason for feeling like it was fine sharing my ideas with them.
Joe Schuele: Moore said that while the U.S. industry is always looking to grow global market share, it’s also important to grow the overall demand for protein.
Henry Moore: Expanding the protein pie, that’s a good way to put it. Big opportunity there is getting our chilled and fresh product into China, like we do in Japan. A lot of people to feed over there, and I think our opportunity is as the economy grows, so will the consumption of meat. Certainly, building trust with those folks is probably the first step to getting more U.S. pork into China.
Joe Schuele: For more on this and other trade issues, please visit USMEF.org.