The National Pork Producers Council congratulated former Dallas mayor Ron Kirk on his nomination to be the next ambassador for the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. Kirk, who is pro-trade, was expected to be picked by President-elect Obama today at a noon press conference.
“During his political career Ron Kirk has worked with both sides of the political aisle and was known as a coalition builder, attributes that will serve him well at USTR,” said NPPC President Bryan Black, a pork producer from Canal Winchester, Ohio. “NPPC looks forward to working with Ambassador Kirk on many important pork trade issues, and we will continue to promote an aggressive trade agenda in Washington.”
NPPC hopes to work closely with Kirk to keep open to U.S. pork exports important markets such as China, Mexico, Russia and Taiwan. The organization also looks forward to a successful conclusion to the World Trade Organization’s Doha Round negotiations. NPPC’s biggest objective in those multilateral trade talks is significant new market access for U.S. pork in the European Union and in Japan.
NPPC also will be urging the new USTR ambassador to press for congressional action on pending free trade agreements with Colombia, Panama and South Korea. The Korean agreement alone will raise live hog prices by more than $10 per animal when fully implemented.
Trade has been vital to the U.S. pork industry. Through October, exports accounted for more than 20 percent of U.S. pork production; more than 1.7 million metric tons of pork worth more than $4.1 billion were exported. Much of the growth in U.S. pork exports – 2008 was the 17th consecutive record year of exports – can be attributed to market access gained through trade agreements.
Kirk’s nomination is expected to be considered by the U.S. Senate when the 111th Congress convenes in January.
NPPC is the global voice for the U.S. pork industry, protecting the livelihoods of America’s 67,000 pork producers, who abide by ethical principles in caring for their animals, in protecting the environment and public health and in providing safe, wholesome, nutritious pork products to consumers worldwide. For more information, visit www.nppc.org.