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NPPC asks for help

The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) is asking the USDA for immediate support and assistance to help save the U.S. pork industry. In a letter to Ag Secretary Vilsack, NPPC president Don Butler of North Carolina is requesting $250 million in financial assistance among other actions, including an economic study on the impact an expansion of corn-based ethanol would have on the livestock industry.

AUDIO: Don Butler, NPPC President (2:30 MP3)

But even if USDA meets the requests of making additional purchases, Steve Meyer, President of Paragon Economics said there’s still going to be red ink.

“These things will help, we appreciate them, they offer a great value for taxpayers, but I don’t think anyone expects these purchases to have a huge impact on price and certainly not enough to get us in to the black,” said Meyer.

Butler says that the request for the immediate purchase of an additional $50 million of pork for various food programs would come from other government sources other than Section 32 programs which the Secretary turned down last week in a request made by Governors from 9 states.