US pork envoy visits China
The US’s National Pork Board, which formed a central part of the delegation, has revealed details of the “extensive trade mission” which took place at the beginning of October.
“As the number one consumer of pork and with nearly 20% of the world’s population living in China, the Chinese market offers great opportunities for US pork producers,” said Becca Nepple, vice president of international marketing for the Pork Checkoff, part of the National Pork Board. “Researching ways to expand export opportunities continues to be a top priority for US pork producers.”
The delegation took part in the US-China Swine Industry Symposium, a collaborative event co-sponsored by the US Meat Export Federation and other agricultural organisations from both China and the US. Held in Beijing, the symposium — Is Bigger Better? — focused on changes and challenges faced by pork producers, processors and other members of the pork supply chain.
'Opportunities and obstacles'
“We discussed trade opportunities and obstacles, and the great potential for deep ties between the Chinese and the US,” said National Pork Board CEO Chris Hodges. “I’ve been talking with producers and packers about these meetings, along with the topics discussed at the Swine Industry Symposium, since I returned to the US.”
The symposium included the exchange of information on issues such as food safety, food security and sustainability. According to Hodges, US producers and agricultural officials at the symposium came to a common conclusion: “Chinese pork producers today find themselves in a place that is familiar to US producers from the 20th century.”
The National Pork Board will be publishing more information about the China trade mission in its winter 2015 Pork Checkoff Report magazine.
