The U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) this week is providing agricultural l...
The U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) this week is providing agricultural leaders taking part in the National Pork Board Leadership Academy an opportunity to travel to Mexico City and participate in educational projects, tours and seminars regarding the Mexican market and its role in increasing U.S. pork exports.
USMEF has planned a four-day visit for participants of the academy, a new program funded by the National Pork Board (NPB) to assist state pork groups and train industry representatives, to witness first hand how U.S. pork is promoted in the retail sector and is perceived by Mexican consumers.
With U.S. pork exports on the rise worldwide, keeping momentum by training and educating future leaders of the industry is a top priority for continued success. USMEF and NPB recognize this and have organized this trip as a way of evoking an international communication and understanding of U.S. pork exports.
“This is a great opportunity for future U.S. pork leaders to learn about the Mexican marketplace and what USMEF does to further increase the international demand of U.S. pork,” said Gilberto Lozano, USMEF-Mexico director. “It’s also a great occasion for us to showcase and educate them about our hotel, restaurant and retail promotions, and for them to better understand market access issues regarding U.S. pork.”
USMEF set up tours for participants to visit large-scale retailers. The group will visit Mega Commercial Mexicana to observe U.S. pork displays and promotions. In addition, a visit to Gigante has been arranged to see the store’s U.S. pork management project. A stop at Costco is also scheduled along with a visit to the Naucalpan Market, an outdoor marketplace where U.S. pork is sold.
“This is an exciting opportunity for us to introduce our strategies and objectives to others in the industry who are excited about the future success of U.S. pork,” said John Hinners, USMEF assistant vice president, industry relations. “This trip will provide participants with a better understanding of international culture and the overall value of U.S. pork exports.”
Through September, U.S. pork and pork variety meat exports worldwide are up 18 percent in volume at 851,709 metric tons and 24 percent in value at $1.95 billion, well ahead of last year’s record pace.
The U.S. Meat Export Federation 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, lamb, corn, sorghum and soybean checkoff programs.
– USMEF –