Grainnet

Nebraska Corn Board Applauds Record Pork Exports

Lincoln, NE—U.S. pork exports have sizzled this year, setting a record in the first half of the year and staying on pace to perhaps set a new all-time record.

“More than 1 million metric tons of pork valued at more than $2 billion were exported from the U.S. in the first six months of this year,” said Mark Jagels, a farmer-director of the Nebraska Corn Board.

Jagels farms near Davenport.

“Demand early in the year was incredibly high in parts of Asia, especially China and Hong Kong, but since then we’ve seen a record month for exports to Mexico. It’s just incredible,” he said.

The high pace of exports has greatly supported hog prices this year.

“A year ago, pork exports added about $28 to the value of a hog,” Jagels said, “but this year it’s $41 simply because exports have been such an important component of the markets.”

Like many corn organizations, the Nebraska Corn Board pushes for pork exports by supporting the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF), which conducts activities and promotions that support U.S. pork and beef sales around the globe.

This year, the Nebraska Corn Board has $400,000 budgeted for USMEF activities, a figure that has increased significantly over past years.

“We strongly believe that it’s better to export value-added products like pork than commodity grain,” said Don Hutchens, executive director of the Nebraska Corn Board.

“This is why our support for USMEF has been there since the group’s founding in 1979, and why we’ve supported livestock producers in this fashion with nearly $6 million to USMEF since then.”

USMEF assistant vice president John Hinners said U.S. meat exports are critical to today’s livestock industry.

“Exports support the prices livestock producers receive for their product, which helps them remain viable,” he said.

“This is important for rural communities, which benefit from livestock production.”

Hinners said without support from organizations like the Nebraska Corn Board, USMEF would not be able to run the types of programs that have led to the successes of the past year.

“The commitment by the Nebraska Corn Board is just tremendous,” he said.

“Through the spirit of our cooperation, U.S. pork exports have been breaking records; which has been beneficial to pork producers in Nebraska and across the county.”

The Nebraska Corn Board also supports the Taste of Elegance, a great culinary event that features pork and a competition between top chefs vying to go on to a national competition.

The next Taste of Elegance will be Feb. 25, 2009, in Lincoln.

“We also support the Alliance for the Future of Agriculture in Nebraska, an organization that helps farmers expand an existing operation or build a new one,” Hutchens said.

“A-FAN’s services are incredibly helpful, and they come at no cost to the producer.”

With October marking National Pork Month, a celebration that began in 1962, Hutchens said it is important for consumers to recognize the importance of the industry to Nebraska.

“There are about 3.3 million hogs in Nebraska, which translates into hundreds of millions of dollars in economic activity,” he said.

“Pork production adds value to corn and corn co-products and a number of other Nebraska-produced commodities and products, and does so in an environmentally sound way.”

For more information, call 800-632-6761.