Concerns over the U.S.-led effort to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement has prompted Mexico to consider other options for pork imports. National Hog Farmer magazine reports U.S. pork industry leaders shared that message at last week’s World Pork Expo in Des Moines, Iowa. For instance, if the U.S. would abandon NAFTA, Mexico would be poised to place a 20 percent duty on pork, which has sent Mexico searching for other potential suppliers. Last year, 26 percent of U.S. pork was exported with the largest volume shipped to Mexico, accounting for 90 percent of the pork imported into the country. And, global pork trade is extremely competitive as other leading pork-producing countries are eager to step up and supply Mexico with pork. National Pork Producers Council immediate past president John Weber says that while gaining new market opportunities is a leading offense priority, its top defensive priority is NAFTA. He says: “We want to protect pork exports to two of our biggest markets – Canada and Mexico.”
From the National Association of Farm Broadcasting News Service.