Corn producers help promote Nebraska pork overseas

NEBRASKA - The Nebraska Corn Board will help sponsor two major pork export initiatives this winter as part of its on-going efforts to support Nebraska's pork industry.
calendar icon 6 June 2007
clock icon 3 minute read

The first event is the 2007 American Pork Trade Seminar and Reception to be held in Tokyo, Japan in mid-February. More than 250 people including meat traders, distributors, manufacturers, food service representatives and hotel retailers are expected to attend. Sponsors are the Nebraska Corn Board and the U.S. Meat Export Federation.

In mid-March, the Nebraska Corn Board will sponsor three Nebraska farmers--a pork producer, a beef producer and a Nebraska Corn Board farmer/director--to attend the USMEF Market Expo in Japan and Taiwan. The Nebraska representatives will also visit FoodEx, the largest food exposition in Asia.

"I don't think a lot of Nebraskans realize the effort that Nebraska corn growers are making, through the corn checkoff program, to promote Nebraska pork overseas. This year alone, more than $300 thousand of corn checkoff dollars will be invested into USMEF," said Don Hutchens, executive director of the Nebraska Corn Board.

According to John Hinners, assistant vice president for industry relations with USMEF, the Nebraska Corn Board is a major contributor to overseas market development efforts. "The Nebraska Corn Board was one of the first members of USMEF in 1979. Since that time, Nebraska corn producers have invested more than $4 million dollars in supporting USMEF programs," said Hinners. "Thanks to Nebraska's support, and that of many other states, we have been able to increase the U.S. share of the world pork export market from 18 percent in 2000 to 26 percent in 2006."

Information from the USMEF shows that the equivalent of 3,500 Nebraska hogs are exported per day. That's 14 percent of Nebraska's production, which translates into more than $25 million worth of Nebraska pork annually that is exported around the world.

Source: High Plains Journal

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