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"Our two main global competitors, Canada and the European Union (EU), already have trade agreements with Chile that provide preferential access for pork," said Caspers, pork producer from Swaledale, Iowa.

"Tariffs on all pork and pork products will drop to zero immediately upon implementation of the U.S.-Chile Free Trade Agreement.

In the meantime, however, we continue to be effectively shut out of the Chilean market because of the tariff disadvantage.

Every day that goes by provides more opportunities for EU and Canadian producers at the expense of efficient U.S. producers.

By quickly passing the Chile Free Trade Agreement, Congress can help facilitate new market opportunities for pork and offer products that will help raise prices.

According to Caspers, U.S. pork producers are painfully aware of the present need to continue increasing access to foreign markets such as Chile.

"The average U.S. pork producer lost money for 18-straight months prior to May," he said. "Although these losses were attributable largely to the dynamics of the hog cycle, there is no question that live hog prices can be positively impacted by the introduction of new markets in which U.S. pork producers can compete.

NPPC and its 44 state affiliate associations will be working with pork producers across the country to press for prompt implementation of this agreement."

Source: National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) - 2nd July 2003