Secretary Nilsestuen Statement on China Lifting Pork Ban
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Madison, WI – Wisconsin’s agriculture secretary today applauded an agreement to reopen China’s borders to American pork products and live swine.
“Pork producers in Wisconsin and across the nation were hard hit by bans worldwide in the wake of the H1N1 influenza outbreak last spring, but the Chinese ban was especially painful because of the importance of that market,” said Rod Nilsestuen, Secretary of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection. “We’re grateful for the efforts of the Obama administration, particularly U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, to open those doors and help the pork industry get back on its feet.”
The Chinese ban was one of 27 worldwide that were instituted when the influenza virus, misnamed “swine flu,” swept quickly across Mexico and the United States before spreading around the globe. In 2008, China had been the fastest growing market for U.S. pork, with nearly $690 million worth shipped there. About 25 percent of Wisconsin pork is exported, much of it to China. Most of the bans have now been lifted.
Wisconsin is home to about 2,200 hog producers. In 2008, there were about 360,000 hogs on farms at any given time, and producers sent almost 210,000 hogs to market, worth a total of $112.8 million. The pork industry’s value to the state overall is $198,000, providing more than 5,000 jobs, according to a University of Wisconsin-Madison study.
“China’s reopening its borders not only provides a badly needed market for American pork and hogs,” Nilsestuen said. “An increased demand should also have the effect of increasing the overall price the producers get. That’s a benefit for all producers, whether their hogs sell on the international market or to the local slaughter plant.”
The announcement that China would reopen its borders results from talks between U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack with Chinese officials during the 20th session of the U.S.-China Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade In Hangzhou, China, earlier this week. China has not yet made an official announcement, and U.S. officials are waiting to ensure that it is science-based and meets international standards.
Posted @ 1:15 p.m.
