Smith Welcomes China Re-Opening Market To U.S. Pork Products

Press Release

Congressman Adrian Smith (R-NE), a Member of the House Agriculture Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry, today welcomed news the United States and China have reached an agreement to reopen the Chinese market to U.S. pork and pork products.

In 2008, China was the U.S. pork industry's seventh largest market, accounting for six percent of U.S. pork and pork variety meat exports. In May 2009, China placed restriction on U.S. pork exports to China due to misguided concerns regarding the H1N1 flu virus.

Nebraska's Third Congressional District is the fifth largest hog producing region in the U.S., with $264 million in sales from exports of pork and pork products. More than 11,000 Nebraska jobs are directly linked to the pork industry.
"China is a tremendously important market and this is great news for Nebraska's pork producers. During these tough economic times, we need open markets now more than ever, and I am glad to see these misguided restrictions on our pork products lifted. I hope today's news will give momentum to other languishing trade issues," Smith said.

Source