New pork campaign pushes for trade agreement
The campaign, ’It’s Pork O’ Clock Somewhere’, focuses on pork and the various ways it’s enjoyed across North America.
“Ratification of USMCA is the top priority for US pork producers and there is no better way to highlight its importance than a campaign that illustrates how pork is enjoyed across United States, Canada and Mexico,” said NPPC president David Herring. “A USMCA agreement provides much-needed market certainty for US pork producers, ensuring zero-duty market access to two of our largest export markets.”
The campaign thanks lawmakers for making USMCA ratification this year a priority and highlights the history behind pork-related dishes in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
According to the NPPC, more than 40% of US pork exported went to Canada and Mexico.
The latest US Meat Export Federation (USMEF) study reported that since Mexico removed its 20% retaliatory duty on US pork in late May, exports have rebounded significantly but not yet to the record-large, pre-tariff levels posted in 2017 and early 2018. September pork exports to Mexico were down 1% year-over-year in volume (56,467 mt), but value increased 7% to $97.6 m.
USMEF president and CEO Dan Halstrom said: “Although the US industry has made rebuilding pork demand in Mexico a top priority, there is definitely a lingering effect from the retaliatory duties, which were in place for nearly a full year. While it is a great relief to once again move pork to Mexico duty-free, ratification of the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement would certainly help the psychology of the market and bolster our major customers’ confidence in the US supply chain.”
The USMCA was signed by US President Donald Trump, Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto, and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on 30 November 2018 however it has not been ratified.
