Weekly USMEF Audio Report: No Immediate Relief in Sight on China Pork Access

Sept. 23, 2009 - Kevin Smith, U.S. Meat Export Federation director of export services, was part of a USMEF delegation that just returned from Asia. One of the major stops on the group’s itinerary was China, which has been closed to U.S. pork exports for about the past four months due to H1N1 influenza.

Smith reports that U.S. trade officials and USMEF continue to engage with China in an effort to resolve this trade impasse and reopen the market, but he sees no signs of immediate relief. He also discusses the impact of China’s pork ban on the U.S. casings industry, which relies heavily on China for export of pork intestines.  

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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.

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.