June 13, 2007

US pork council pushes for FTA passage

The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) is urging the US Congress to support the Free Trade Agreements (FTA) with South Korea, Colombia, Peru and Panama which they said would create jobs and boost the entire pork industry.

This appeal was made at last week's World Pork Expo, in Des Moines, Iowa.

The council said the agreements will eliminate tariffs and trade barriers that currently restrict US pork products from going into those countries.

NPPC president Jill Appell said that, according to Iowa State University economists, pork exports, which 15 percent of domestic pork production in 2006 generated 82,500 US jobs in the pork industry alone, majority of which are located in rural America.

Overall, the US pork industry supports an estimated 550,000 domestic jobs, generates more than $97.4 billion annually in total US economic activity and contributes $34.5 billion to the US gross national product, said Appell.

The full implementation of FTAs will raise US live hog prices per head by US$10, US$1.63, 83 cents and 20 cents, respectively, notes Appell.