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Pass Panama Trade Agreements, urges NPPC
Novel flu strain not from Mexican hog farm
NPPC Calls For Accurate Reporting On Influenza
NPPC asks USDA to help U.S. pork producers
H1N1 virus not a food safety issue
U of M Extension provides H1N1 information for pork producers
Pass Panama Trade Agreements, Urges NPPC
WASHINGTON, D.C., May 22, 2009 – A U.S. trade agreement with Panama will provide new market opportunities for a wide range of American agricultural products, the National Pork Producers Council yesterday told a Senate committee, and it will level the playing field for U.S. pork producers and other food producers.
NPPC President-Elect Sam Carney, a pork producer from Adair, Iowa, testifying before the Senate Committee on Finance, noted that most products from Panama enter the United States at a zero tariff rate because of the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act and the Generalized System of Preferences, while most U.S. agricultural products going to the Central American country are subject to an average tariff of 43 percent.
“Implementing the pending trade agreement with Panama will level the playing field so that U.S. producers and exporters of food and farm products receive reciprocal market access,” said Carney. “It also will open to U.S. pork producers, other agricultural sectors and U.S. businesses a market of almost 3.4 million consumers.”
U.S. pork exports to Panama currently are restricted by a small quota and out-of-quota duties as high as 80 percent. Under the Panama Trade Promotion Agreement, U.S. pork variety meats would receive immediate duty-free treatment, and the trade deal would expand market access for U.S. pork muscle meat through tariff rate quotas (TRQs). The TRQs will be phased out in 15 years, and when the agreement is fully implemented, U.S. pork will have unlimited duty-free access to the Panamanian market.
In addition to the favorable market access provisions, the agreement resolves significant sanitary and technical issues. Panama, for example, will recognize the meat inspection system of the United States as equivalent to its meat inspection system.
According to Iowa State University economist Dermot Hayes, the Panama trade agreement will add 20 cents to the price producers receive for each hog marketed, with pork exports to Panama expected to be worth about $23 million a year.
Novel Flu Strain Not From Mexican Hog Farm
WASHINGTON, D.C., May 14, 2009 – Mexico’s agriculture department today said the influenza strain that now has infected almost 4,300 people in 33 countries did not originate from hogs at a Smithfield Foods operation that had been singled out by some, including critics of modern pork production, as the source of the A-H1N1 flu virus.
Test results released today by the Mexican Ministry of Agriculture, Ranching, Rural Development, Fisheries and Food (SAGARPA) confirmed that the novel A-H1N1 virus was not in pigs at the Granjas Carroll de México farm in Veracruz. The pigs also tested negative for other viruses.
While the news was welcomed by the National Pork Producers Council, the organization said the damage to the U.S. pork industry from mislabeling the strain “swine” flu has been done. “Before the flu outbreak,” said NPPC CEO Neil Dierks, “pork producers were losing money, but things were looking up because we were heading into the grilling season. When this flu was misnamed, things went south, and producers’ losses nearly doubled.”
The first day the flu outbreak received wide media coverage – April 24 – pork producers were losing $10.91 per pig. After two weeks of reporting on the “swine” flu, pork prices fell dramatically, with producers losing an average of $20.60 per pig, or nearly $8.4 million a day.
Pork prices dropped because of a dip in domestic demand as well as import bans on U.S. pork imposed by a number of U.S. trading partners, including Russia and China. Russia’s ban now applies only to 11 states, most of which are not major pork producers, and at least a dozen countries that banned, or indicated they would ban, U.S. pork now have reversed themselves.
After initial reports of the flu outbreak, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said: “This [flu] virus is different, very different from that found in pigs.” On April 26, the World Organization for Animal Health said the H1N1 influenza never should have been named “swine” flu and that there was no justification for the imposition of trade restrictions, a position also taken by the World Trade Organization.
NPPC and U.S. and world public-health and agriculture agencies repeatedly have pointed out that pork is safe to eat and handle and that flu viruses are not transmitted through food.
“Speculation on the A-H1N1 flu’s connections to the Mexican farm specifically and to hog farms generally would be irresponsible and would only bring further injury and pain to pork producers for something that was not of their making,” Dierks said.
NPPC Asks USDA To Help U.S. Pork Producers
WASHINGTON, May 5, 2009 - The National Pork Producers Council in a letter sent today urged the U.S. Department of Agriculture to help the U.S. pork industry deal with the negative effects of what initially was misnamed “swine” influenza and is now known as the H1N1 flu or Influenza A.
Pork producers, who prior to the announcement of the current flu “outbreak” already were losing money, have seen losses accelerate to an average of $17.69 on each hog marketed as of May 1. Total losses reached $7.2 million a day between April 24 and May 1.
“Given those loses and based on May 1 futures prices,” said NPPC President Don Butler, “a bad situation for pork producers has been exacerbated and could get worse unless the industry gets some relief.”
To help stem the losses U.S. pork producers are incurring, NPPC has asked USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack to:
NPPC told Sec. Vilsack it would identify and bring to his attention other actions USDA could take to assist the U.S. pork industry during the current situation.
H1N1 virus not a food safety issue
Mankato, Minn. May 1, 2009 - The H1N1 flu virus that infects humans has not been identified in U.S. hogs and the proper naming of the H1N1 flu virus should reduce public confusion by reassuring consumers that H1N1 is not transmitted through pork or pigs and it is not a food safety issue, said David Preisler, Executive Director of the Minnesota Pork Producers Association.
“Pork is perfectly safe to eat,” Preisler said. “Federal and state government agencies’ can focus their resources on public education to reduce the flu virus transmission.”
Preisler reminds consumers that Minnesota pork producers are committed to food safety, public health and animal care. Modern pork production practices keep the animals clean, safe and provide protection from predators, disease introduction and weather extremes.
“Pork producers work extremely hard to care for their animals and there is no food safety issues with fresh pork and pork products with respect to the H1N1 virus,” Preisler said.
The following information reaffirms the safety of pork and reinforces the human-to-human transmission of H1N1 flu:
NPPC Calls For Accurate Reporting On Influenza
DES MOINES, IOWA, May 1, 2009 - Noting that the U.S. pork industry is nearing the brink of financial disaster, the National Pork Producers Council today called for accurate reporting on the recent influenza outbreak.
NPPC urged U.S. pork producers and others involved in the pork industry to address influenza outbreak misinformation, which already has exacerbated an economic crisis in the pork industry.
Much of the media has referred to the current influenza as “swine” flu despite the fact that the flu virus is not of pig origin, is not in the U.S. pig herd and never has been found in pigs anywhere in the world. Additionally, the World Health Organization, World Organization for Animal Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Departments of Agriculture, Health and Human Services and Homeland Security have said this is not “swine” flu. They are calling it Influenza A or H1N1 flu.
“We strongly urge the media to accurately report about the H1N1 flu virus and the safety of pork consumption,” said NPPC CEO Neil Dierks. “Inaccurate media reports are negatively affecting U.S. pork producers and the reputation of U.S. pork as a quality and safe product. That’s hurting producers economically and threatening U.S. pork export markets.
“Everyone should be focusing resources on finding a solution to this public health threat, not making unscientific claims,” said Dierks.
“Speculative theories about the H1N1 virus spreading from pigs to humans are irresponsible and only contribute to unnecessary worry among U.S. citizens,” added Dr. Jen Greiner, NPPC director of Science and Technology. “According to the CDC, this virus is very different from that found in pigs, and influenza viruses are not transmitted by food; you cannot get influenza from eating pork or pork products.”
In a letter sent today to the major broadcast media outlets and wire services, NPPC requested that the H1N1 influenza not be called “swine” flu. At least one outlet agreed not to use the term.
“We’re pleased with the editorial decision of the Gannett Company [a leading U.S. newspaper publisher and broadcaster] to no longer use the term ‘swine flu’ in any of its published or broadcast references to the H1N1 virus,” said Dallas Hockman, NPPC vice president of Industry Relations. “We thank Gannett for this decision and hope other U.S. and global media outlets see fit to do the same.”
The incorrect reporting of the H1N1 flu, or Influenza A, as “swine” flu has compounded the economic squeeze the U.S. pork industry has experienced the past 19 months, when producers lost an average of $20 per hog. Since the flu outbreak became a major news story, producers have lost another $6 per pig, with average hog prices falling from $124 a head on April 24 to $118 on April 28. That decline cost the industry nearly $2.5 million a day.
NPPC is urging all segments of the U.S. pork industry to help disseminate the facts about pork being safe to eat and to counter misinformation being reported by the media or peddled by activist groups.
“While education and prevention hopefully can minimize the dreadful impacts of the global flu outbreak,” said Hockman, “only by working together can the pork industry and consumer and health groups work to minimize the H1N1 virus’s impact on the pork industry. It’s critical for the pork industry that all concerned organizations be dedicated and diligent about communicating the true facts about pork and the H1N1 flu.”
U of M Extension provides H1N1 information for pork producers
MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (05/01/2009) - The "swine flu" epidemic raises questions for pork producers, even though the term "swine flu" is misleading and no swine are currently infected. University of Minnesota Extension has created a webpage to provide information and resources on this new H1N1 influenza virus outbreak and links to further information. This webpage can be found at http://www.extension.umn.edu/swine/H1N1
"It is important for the general public to know that pork is safe to eat and pork consumption does not impose a risk for contracting the H1N1 flu," said Dr. Mark Whitney, swine program leader with University of Minnesota Extension. "Although this new hybrid virus has not been demonstrated to be spread to pigs, we are suggesting pork producers increase biosecurity measures to reduce the risk of any influenza viruses from entering their herds," Whitney said.
The webpage includes:
* A PorkCast webinar, "Pork Producer Update: H1N1 Influenza."
* Facts and clarifications about the flu and its overstated relationship to swine
* Biosecurity recommendations for preventing disease transmission to hog facilities
* News and updates on 2009 H1N1 flu, for producers and veterinarians
* Spanish-language resources
* Speaking points about the safety of eating pork. For example, the USDA, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Department of Homeland Security all state that swine influenza viruses are not transmitted by food so one cannot contract swine influenza from eating pork or pork products.
NPPC Expects Export Restrictions Temporary
Washington, April 30, 2009 - The National Pork Producers Council today said it expects the restrictions placed on U.S. pork exports by certain nations due to concerns about the H1N1 virus to be temporary.
“The restrictions should be short lived because U.S. and international authorities have made it clear that the H1N1 virus is transmitted through human contact and that pork is 100 percent safe to consume,” said NPPC Vice President and International Trade Counsel Nick Giordano. “NPPC has been in constant contact with U.S. trade officials, and U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Ron Kirk have been busy working the phones with our trading partners. It is imperative that our trade officials stop the export bleeding now.”
The World Health Organization (WHO) today named the virus “Influenza A,” and the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) said the H1N1 influenza should never have been named “swine” flu and there is no justification for the imposition of trade measures on the importation of pigs or their products. The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security all confirm there are no food safety issues with the virus and that it is not in the U.S. hog herd.
Despite those facts, Ukraine, St. Lucia, Indonesia, United Arab Emirates, Thailand, Honduras and Croatia have banned U.S. pork imports. Russia and China, which are significant markets for U.S. pork exports, and Kazakhstan have banned U.S. pork from certain states.
“The U.S. pork industry maintains the capacity to serve the Chinese and Russian markets from non-restricted states,” Giordano said. “The other nations account for only a very small percentage of U.S. pork exports.”
While the current export restrictions are manageable, Giordano pointed out, it will be difficult to withstand the loss of further markets. The U.S. pork industry already has lost money for 19 straight months as a result of high input costs, with producers losing an average of $20 per hog marketed.
Pork exports in 2008 accounted for more than 20 percent of total U.S. pork production, contributed approximately $48 per hog harvested and supported more than 65,000 U.S. jobs. The creation of new export opportunities and the maintenance of existing export markets are critical to the sustainability of the U.S. pork industry.