Weekly USMEF Audio Report: Resumption of Pork Exports to China is Welcome News for U.S. Pork Industry...

March 22, 2010 -  Late last week, U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk and U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced an agreement with the government of China for resumption of U.S. pork exports. The announcements by

U.S. pork/pork variety meat exports to China peaked in 2008, totaling 3.66 million pounds valued at more than $334 million. U.S. exports to China declined more than 60 percent last year. This was due in large part to the market closure, but domestic supply also played a major role as China’s imports from all pork suppliers fell by 42 percent. Even in this down year, however, China was still the world’s fifth-largest pork importer by volume.

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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.

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