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USMEF credits FTA’s for growing Latin American pork exports

The U.S. Meat Export Federation says free trade agreements have played an integral role in boosting pork exports to Latin America.

USMEF pork committee chair Randy Spronk, a producer from Minnesota, credits FTA’s passed in Panama, Colombia and other parts of the region for growing exports more than 50 percent in the past five years.

“Every time we look at the data from these free trade agreements and we open up a market and lower the tariffs and trade barriers, our export sales grow.  That’s great for the livestock producer and great for the crop farmer too.”

Speaking to Brownfield from USMEF’s sixth annual Latin American Product Showcase in Panama City, Spronk says the event represents the development of new and expanded markets.

“It started out with less than 30 buyers (and) this year there’s 120 buyers.  It’s really great to see all in one room, exporters and packers from the United States that are marketing U.S. beef, pork and lamb.”

The Central American-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement passed in 2006 is another FTA that Spronk says has contributed to greater volumes of U.S. pork exports since its implementation.