International Trade: Why It’s Important to U.S. Pork Producers
WASHINGTON, DC (May 1, 2023) – In honor of World Trade Month, the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) is highlighting the important role international trade plays for U.S. pork farmers and the U.S. economy.
“U.S. pork farmers have built a global reputation for providing domestic and foreign markets with high-quality, safe, and affordable pork products,” said Lori Stevermer, NPPC’s President-elect and pork producer from MN. “To grow exports and support high-paying jobs in rural communities, the United States must open new and expand existing markets through trade agreements, trade and investment framework agreements, and market access deals.”
Exports are vital to the U.S. pork industry. In 2022:
- The U.S. exported $7.6 billion worth of pork to more than 100 foreign destinations.
- Exports account for more than $61 in value for each hog marketed annually in the United States.
- U.S. exports support more than 155,000 U.S. jobs supported and contribute over $14.5 billion to the U.S. economy.
NPPC advocates for the social, environmental and economic sustainability of U.S. pork producers and their partners by supporting reasonable public policies allowing them to export pork products globally. NPPC works to safeguard existing markets and for greater market access to high-quality, affordable pork products for consumers through trade agreements and trade initiatives that eliminate tariff and non-tariff barriers to U.S. pork exports.
“It is important that the United States maintain current markets but extend preferential trade agreements to smaller and lesser-developed countries,” added Stevermer. “Over the past decade we have seen how dependent we have become to foreign markets – we export more to the 20 countries we have a free trade agreement than to the rest of the world combined. Trade market access can make enormous impacts for American pork farmers making the U.S. more globally competitive by boosting exports, supporting jobs, and offering nutritious and affordable pork products.”
To learn more about NPPC’s take on trade priorities, go to: https://nppc.org/pork-industry-issues/international-trade/.