IFAP appeals for aid for Haitian farmers

The International Federation of Agricultural Producers (IFAP) is appealing for “international solidarity with the farmers and people of Haiti” in the aftermath of last month’s devastating earthquake. The IFAP says farmers in Haiti are the backbone of that society. It’s estimated, as of late January, that over 20-thousand of the 35-thousand smaller farmers in rural Haiti have been either wounded or affected by the earthquake in some way. The head of the Union of Haitian Peasants (UHP), the national farmer’s organization, says the Haitian government is not capable of handling the “magnitude” of the disaster and that rural communities are not likely a priority for aid. He says the situation for these farmers is “truly critical and beyond words.”

Northern Haiti has been very productive in fruit and vegetable crops in partnership with a French aid organization which is appealing through the French arm of the IFAP for help to keep the project going in order to meet the food supply demand.

The IFAP says the mass exodus of those in Port-au-Prince to the rural areas of Haiti has increased the need for help.

The IFAP says to offer moral or financial support, please contact Mr. Jean-Claude Dorsainvil, Secretary General of UHP at uhpeasants@yahoo.ca

Positive export news

Phil Seng, President and CEO of the U.S. Meat Export Federation delivered positive export news for pork producers attending Illinois Pork Expo this week.   He told them the export market is looking very positive for the pork industry.  Although 2009 will finish at a 9% decline due to access issues in China and Russia, there was growth in other markets. That, Seng explained, translates to 2 – 3% growth in worldwide growth.

Seng is not the only one who is optimistic about exports in 2010.  The USDA forecast is positive as well.  Seng says the United States exports 1 of every 4 pigs produced in this country and about $40 of every hog is exported.

Because Russia and China are continuing to try to build their markets, Seng believes the U.S. will continue to see issues. Last year China was up about 6% in its production. It is a country modernizing very quickly. Seng said China does know that the U.S. is the only country that can meet all of its pork needs.

Seng expects some resolution with Russia within the next 2 weeks, re-listing about 20 pork plants that had been de-listed by Russia.

He says it is very important for U.S. producers to keep an eye on the global marketplace. The U.S. represents 47% of Japanese total pork market, so it is important that we take a hard look at the Japanese consumer’s changing needs and opinions, thoughts on animal welfare, ethics of production and sustainability. Some of these countries, says Seng, import more than 50% of their total caloric intake so it is incumbent upon us to be as transparent as possible.

Seng emphasized the importance of U.S. producers telling their stories.

The U.S. Meat Export Federation continues to work with USDA and others in Washington. As the world moves from cereals to more proteins, there is great opportunity in several different countries.

Seng is optimistic about the future for the beef export market in 2010 and beyond.

Conversation with Phil Seng

China’s ambassador says pork trade “in process”

China’s Ambassador to the U.S. told reporters in Missouri on Monday that China was in the process of resuming pork trade with the U.S. “I think during the last strategic and economic dialogue the Chinese decided to resume import of American pork.  So, I think, we are in the process of implementing that decision,” says Chinese Ambassador Zhou Wenzhong, who was invited to the capital city by Missouri Governor Jay Nixon.

But the National Pork Producers Council Chinese says China has not yet taken any shipments since its government officials said in December the country would begin accepting U.S. pork soon. U.S. trade officials and NPPC’s Vice President and Counsel for International Affairs, Nick Giordano, were in China last week to work on details and to talk about other trade issues, including the use of ractopamine in pork production.

The Chinese Ambassador was in Missouri to formalize a deal on a Midwest trade hub based at St. Louis Lambert Airport.

Audio and photo provided by Brent Martin, Missourinet

AUDIO: Chinese Ambassador to the U.S. Zhou Wenzhong (1 min., MP3)

U.S. officials frustrated by China’s pork stance

The top trade official for the National Pork Producers Council was in China last week.

Nick Giordano met with U.S. and Chinese government and private sector representatives on a host of trade-related issues.  Topics included China’s continued reluctance to import U.S. pork because of H1N1 flu concerns and its refusal to take pork from pigs given ractopamine (rack-top-ah-mean).  That’s a feed additive widely used in U.S. pork production to promote leaner meat.

In December, China announced it would lift its H1N1-related ban on U.S. pork, but it has not yet begun accepting imports.  Phil Seng, president and CEO of the U.S. Meat Export Federation, says China is simply using H1N1 as an excuse to halt imports while it increases its own pork production.

“Their production in China this year is up about 5 ½ percent,” Seng says, “and so what the Chinese are doing is, they’re trying to slow down imports. They have a high inventory level in China right now.”

Seng says it could be a while before China resumes imports of U.S. pork. “So for the next six months we don’t see China moving aggressively in any one area, because they seem to have enough pork,” he says. “So a lot of this has to do with their ability to turn on imports and exports, and they’re using the H1N1 thing in this regard.  So the more we can protest this, the more we can address this, the better it’s going to be.”

On the ractopamine issue, the U.N. food-safety body this summer is expected to set a maximum residue level for the product.  That level has been approved in the U.S. by the FDA and is accepted by 25 other countries.

 AUDIO: Phil Seng (2 min MP3)

US to ask Japan to accept older cattle

US trade officials reportedly will ask Japan to allow cattle over 20 months old into their country. Reuters says the deputy US Trade Representative Demetrios Marantis will meet with Japanese officials in Tokyo next week and will ask Japan to lift their beef ban among several other trade snags to be discussed in an otherwise good trade relationship.

Reuters says the US estimates it’s losing about one-Billion dollars in sales to Japan each year because of the age restriction and would regain more than 90 percent of the “pre-2003” market if Japan were to allow beef from cattle 30 months and younger.

Nebraska ag delegation will visit Japan in March

Nebraska Farm Bureau president Keith Olsen will lead a Nebraska delegation to Japan in early March.

Joining Olsen will be representatives of Nebraska ag commodity groups.  The trip is part of the U.S. Embassy’s “Partners in Agriculture” series.  It will include an event to celebrate the Japanese Agricultural Exchange Program, at which Olsen will speak.  That program has brought more than 350 Japanese to Nebraska since 1952 to learn about the state’s farming practices.

The Nebraskans will also visit Japanese farms and meet with agribusiness leaders.

U.S.-Russia agree to continue poultry talks

It’s not resolved, but the U.S. and Russia have agreed to keep talking about Russia’s de facto ban on U.S. poultry. 

The first round of discussions on the dispute was held this week in Moscow.  U.S. officials say the meetings involved information-sharing, giving both sides a better understanding of each other’s positions. 

The talks follow Russia’s ban on imports of poultry treated with chlorine, which effectively barred all U.S. poultry shipments.  Negotiations will continue in the coming weeks with the goal of resolving the issue, according to U.S. officials.

Grassley says US lacks leverage with Russia

U.S. negotiators are in Russia in discussions over that country’s rejection of the U.S. pork, poultry, and potentially, beef market. Senate Ag Committee member Chuck Grassley of Iowa says Russia is a big market but the U.S. doesn’t have a lot of leverage because Russia’s not in the World Trade Organization (WTO), “The rule of law in international trade doesn’t apply except as Russia wants it to apply and like we’re pleading for it to apply.” Grassley says, “It also looks like Russia is taking advantage of not being in the WTO to use non-tariff trade barriers to build up their own industry.”

Grassley says he hopes the administration makes some progress in Moscow but –  “Russia takes the opportunity in several ways to push their thumb in the eye of Uncle Sam, so don’t be surprised if it wouldn’t happen this time.”

Grassley says there’s, unfortunately, no resolution process for the U.S. to use in trade disputes as it could with WTO countries.

Meat exports continue to rebound

Exports of U.S. beef and pork continue to rebound. 

Statistics from November 2009 show pork exports reached their highest level of the year in that month.  They were essentially even with the record-shattering pace of pork exports in November 2008. 

Beef exports in November edged four percent above year-ago levels.  Muscle cuts enjoyed a 23 percent hike over year-ago levels, while variety meats slipped 27 percent.

While the news is positive, total beef and pork exports remained below 2008 levels.  For the first 11 months of 2009, pork exports were down ten percent in volume and 13 in value compared to 2008.  And beef exports were down ten percent in volume and 16 percent in value compared to the year previous.

Link to USMEF web site

Open access in Russia trade talks urged

As the Obama administration enters trade talks with Russia this week, Senate Ag Committee leaders are urging the administration to push for open access for U.S. meat and poultry exports.

Committee Chairman Blanche Lincoln and ranking member Saxby Chambliss sent a letter to President Obama last week urging his administration to defend U.S. pork, poultry and beef producers during the talks in Moscow. In the letter, Lincoln says “America’s farmers and ranchers are required by USDA to meet very stringent food safety standards” and Russia’s “citing of safety concerns as reason for their actions is baseless.”

Russia has not given any scientific explanation for essentially closing its market to U.S. pork and poultry and their intentions to do the same with the beef market. U.S. exports in 2008 of U.S. pork, poultry and beef to Russia were valued at higher than 1.3 Billion dollars.

U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee

Next Page »