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China elephant in the room for pork producers

China remains the elephant in the room as pork producers begin to navigate 2020. 

Minnesota Pork Board president JoDee Haala says the African swine fever outbreak dominated conversations during the Board’s annual meeting Monday.

“Our first priority is protecting our United States borders, and absolutely our Minnesota pork producers. So efforts are very much focused on prevention.”

At the farm level, she tells Brownfield producers need to be focusing on biosecurity and familiarize themselves with the Secure Pork Supply Plan.

On trade with China, Haala says it’s still somewhat unclear what phase one entails.

“Depending on who you talk to, you get a little bit different information. We remain really, really optimistic about what the opportunity presents for us, and the fact that China is purchasing the product.”

But Haala says she’d like to see tariffs completely removed.

Brownfield interviewed Haala at the 2020 Minnesota Pork Congress in Minneapolis.