US pork group discusses trade issues with China

The NPPC met this week in China with US and Chinese government officials and private-sector representatives on a host of trade-related issues.

Among the topics of discussion were China's continued ban on US pork imports. China's bans resulted from AH1N1 flu as well as refusal to take pork from pigs given ractopamine - a feed additive widely used in US pork production to promote leaner meat.

Earlier in December, China announced that it would lift its AH1N1-related ban on US pork, but it has not yet begun accepting imports.

Meanwhile, the UN food-safety body this summer is expected to set a maximum residue level for ractopamine, which was approved in the US by the Food and Drug Administration (FAO) and is accepted by 25 other countries.