US pork exports near records in 2025 - USMEF
Shipments hit second highest value on record
26 February 2026
1 minute read
By: US pork exports posted the second highest value and third largest volume on record in 2025, according to year-end data released by USDA and compiled by the US Meat Export Federation (USMEF).
December pork exports totalled 257,846 metric tons (mt), down 3.5% from the large volume posted a year ago, but still the third largest of 2025. Export value was $746 million, down 3% but also the third highest of the year.
December shipments trended higher year-over-year to Mexico, reaching the second largest monthly volume and value on record. Exports also increased to South Korea, Japan, the Caribbean, ASEAN and Taiwan. But these results were offset by lower volumes to China, Canada, Central and South America and Oceania.
The December results pushed total 2025 pork exports to 2.94 million mt, down 3% from the 2024 record but the third largest on record (also slightly below 2020). Export value was also down 3% from the 2024 record but was the second highest ever at $8.4 billion. Exports were record-large to leading market Mexico and to Central America and the Caribbean. Exports to Colombia were down less than 1% from 2024’s volume record and reached a new high in value.
“Last year was outstanding for US pork, especially in our Western Hemisphere markets,” said USMEF president and CEO Dan Halstrom.
“Demand in these destinations has maintained multi-year momentum, and duty-free access to our FTA partner countries is a foundational factor in this growth," he added. "We are hopeful that current trade negotiations will not only maintain this access, but remove barriers for US pork in other markets."
