U.S. Pork Exports to Central America Hit Record Highs

Mar 03, 2025
By Farms.com

U.S. Pork Exports Surge 21% in Central America

In 2024, U.S. pork exports to Central America set new records in both volume and value, surpassing previous highs.

According to Lucia Ruano, the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) representative for the region, consumer education initiatives supported by the USDA and the National Pork Board have been instrumental in promoting U.S. pork as a premium protein choice.

Despite this success, exports to Panama faced challenges due to an import cap that conflicts with the U.S.-Panama Trade Promotion Agreement.

Ruano noted that this restriction has caused frustration among importers and has even led to shortages of certain products, such as pork ribs popular in restaurant chains.

Elsewhere in Central America, U.S. pork enjoys full, duty-free access under the Central America-Dominican Republic-U.S. Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR).

This has helped drive growth, with exports rising 21% year-over-year to 166,000 metric tons. The export value also surged 29%, reaching $523 million. These figures highlight the increasing demand for U.S. pork across the region, reinforcing its strong market position.

Video: WARNING! Rough Start To Breeding Season!!

WARNING! Sheep Breeding Season Begins With A Bang! Breeding season is officially underway at Ewetopia Farms, but it didn’t exactly start the way we planned!

This vlog begins with us sorting through our rams to find the perfect match for a customer’s breeding program. What should have been routine quickly turned dangerous when one of our more nervous rams panicked. In seconds, Arnie’s knee was injured, and then I was slammed hard onto the concrete floor — both of us taken down by one ram!

Thankfully, it was just bruises, but it’s a reminder of how unpredictable and powerful mature rams can be. Once we recovered, it was time to get back to the real work — the start of breeding season.

We sorted the ewes into four breeding groups (two Suffolk and two Dorset), checking parentage as they ran through the chute, deworming those that needed it, and setting aside thinner ewes for session two of breeding season in a month’s time.This staggered approach keeps lambing organized and prevents overcrowding in the barns.

From rogue rams to the excitement of new breeding groups, this episode is full of action. Stay tuned for the next vlog, where we’ll share how we chose the rams for each group!