WASHINGTON - The government of Argentina agreed to open its market to pork imports from the United States. Vice-President Al Gore made the announcement during an appearance in Iowa.
The announcement was hailed by National Pork Producers (NPPC) President Donna Reifschneider.
“After many fits and a few starts, American pork producers will finally get a crack at selling the world's highest quality protein product in Argentina,” Reifschneider said. “This is great news and gives our producers, suffering through a period of low prices, hope for the future. This is not a panacea, and it cannot replace the recent loss of Russia, our third largest export market, but it is another step forward in the drive for free trade and greater market access.”
Reifschneider went on to say that great teamwork over an extended period of time led to the positive result.
“America's pork producers want to thank Vice-President Gore, U.S. Trade Ambassador Charlene Barshefsky and Special Trade Negotiator Peter L. Scher, Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman, and Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT),” Reifschneider said. “Their special interest in this issue made a tremendous difference.”
For years, the government of Argentina blocked U.S. pork imports, saying that imports could spread Porcine Reproductive Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS) to domestic herds. However, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) of USDA in October, 1997 presented a risk assessment to Argentina that showed the risk of transmission of PRRS to live hogs through imported pork is minimal.
After a year of negotiation, Argentina finally acted on the APHIS study and committed to open its market to U.S. pork exports.
The annual market for imported pork in Argentina is estimated at 30,000 metric tons, or about $65 million.
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