This Week at NPPC: Trade Moves, Prop 12 Push, and Industry Highlights

Nov 17, 2025

In this week’s NPPC update:

U.S. and China move toward resolving long-standing trade tensions.
Pork producers press lawmakers to fix California’s Prop 12.
Agriculture groups urge caution on changes to USMCA.
Mindy Brashears advances toward USDA Under Secretary confirmation.
NPPC’s Dr. Jeremy Pittman honored in the Virginia Livestock Hall of Fame.
Applications open for new pork industry scholarships.

U.S. & China Move Toward Trade Resolution

After months of advocacy from agriculture groups, the Trump administration and China have agreed to lower tariffs and resume talks toward a broader trade deal.
China suspended tariffs of up to 15% on some U.S. agricultural imports, including pork.

“In a win for U.S. agriculture, China has suspended its retaliatory tariffs,” said NPPC President Duane Stateler.

China ranked No. 3 for U.S. pork value in 2024, totaling $1.1 billion in exports.

Click here to see more...

Video: Methionine Requirements for Lactating Sows - Cierra Kozole

In this episode of The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, Cierra Kozole, PhD candidate in Swine Nutrition at the University of Guelph, explains how methionine supports lactating sows beyond milk protein synthesis. She discusses updated requirement estimates, source comparisons, methylation demand, and why modern sow genetics may require more precise amino acid strategies. Listen now on all major platforms!

"Methionine supports protein synthesis while also serving critical functions through methylation pathways that influence multiple biological processes."

Meet the guest: Cierra Kozole / cierra-kozole-772b64253 is a PhD candidate in Swine Nutrition at the University of Guelph in Canada. Her doctoral research focuses on refining estimates of methionine requirements for primiparous lactating sows, including evaluating methionine sources, nutrient partitioning, methylation reactions, and the links among amino acid supply, milk production, and sow protein retention. Learn more from Cierra Kozole on The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, available on all major platforms.