DES MOINES, IOWA — USDA Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) released year-end pork export data last week, showing a volume of 3.03 million metric tons (+4% YoY) valued at $8.63 billion (+6%YoY).
The results were summarized in a recent news release by the National Pork Board’s (NPB) strategic partner, the US Meat Export Federation (USMEF).
NPB has developed an international market development strategy to build confidence in U.S. pork in a diverse global protein market. They use Pork Checkoff funds to differentiate U.S. Pork from competitors and add value and opportunity to other markets. They build trust in pork production and practices, expand markets and strategically position pork to drive purchase decisions.
USMEF executes marketing programs on NPB’s behalf and positions U.S. pork as a safe, high-quality, consistent product. Additionally, USMEF leverages Checkoff dollars with USDA FAS contributions. The Market Access Program matches Checkoff dollars invested, meaning strategic partnerships create a strong return on investment for U.S. pork producers.
Past NPB President and current USMEF Executive Member Gene Noem describes the value of partnership when he explains that “marketing works, and we can leverage USMEF to be boots-on-the-ground expertise for short-term activations that create long-term demand.”
One such example is adding value to the loin in Mexico, where the growing demand for pork products and desire for versatility grow U.S. Pork import share. NPB collaborates with USMEF and two USDA programs to capitalize on consumer trends and teach importers how the primal can be processed, seasoned, packaged and marketed.
USMEF’s in-market expertise and NPB’s carcass maximization strategy boost demand in key countries. Colombia, for example, is the sixth-largest market for U.S. Pork1. Last fall, USMEF’s in-market experience suggested developing an innovative U.S. Boston Butt burger for food service. They presented it to importers, distributors and processors in four major Colombian cities.
Finally, NPB’s international market development strategy values the contributions of producers and state pork association representatives. In 2024, numerous producers traveled to emerging and established markets on behalf of U.S. Pork to talk about on-farm production and learn about market dynamics to help shape future strategies.
Overall, 2024 was a successful year, and NPB will continue working with strategic partners to build trust in and add value to U.S. Pork for global consumers.
