I appreciate the opportunity to appear on behalf of U.S. pork producers to express our views on the possible accession of China to the World Trade Organization.
Pork is the world's meat of choice.
Pork represents 44 percent of daily meat protein intake in the world. A combination of foreign market trade barriers and highly subsidized competitors kept a lid on U.S. pork exports. The industry strongly supports further trade liberalization measures and, consequently one of the organizations leading the charge for the renewal of fast track trade negotiating authority. These trade agreements permit U.S. pork producers to exploit their comparative advantage in international markets. Since 1995, when the Uruguay Round Agreement went into effect, U.S. pork exports to the world have increased by approximately 45 percent in volume terms and 75 percent in value terms from 1994 levels.