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USDA Launches $285M “America First” Export Program — What It Means for Pork Producers

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced a significant new investment aimed at strengthening American agriculture in global markets — a move that could carry meaningful benefits for pork producers heading into 2026.

Through a new initiative called the America First Trade Promotion Program, the USDA is making hundreds of millions of dollars available to help U.S. farmers, ranchers, and ag-based businesses expand their reach into overseas markets. The program is designed to build on recent trade progress, grow demand in key regions, and support American-grown products on the world stage.

What This Means for the Pork Industry
Although the program spans the entire agriculture sector, it arrives at an important moment for U.S. pork:

  • Export demand remains a major driver of profitability for many producers.
  • Opening new international markets helps balance domestic fluctuations and creates more stable long-term opportunities.
  • Support for trade promotion can help highlight the consistency, quality, and safety of U.S. pork — critical selling points in competitive global protein markets.

For producers, processors, and allied companies focused on exports, this initiative presents an opportunity to reassess export strategy, explore new regions, and align with programs that can help fund market development.

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Season 6, Episode 7: Takeaways from the Second International Conference on Pig Livability

Video: Season 6, Episode 7: Takeaways from the Second International Conference on Pig Livability

This year’s conference fostered open, engaging conversations around current research in the swine industry, bringing together hundreds of attendees from 31 states and six countries. Two leaders who helped organize the event joined today’s episode: Dr. Joel DeRouchey, professor and swine extension specialist in the Department of Animal Sciences and Industry at Kansas State University, and Dr. Edison Magalhaes, assistant professor in the Department of Animal Sciences at Iowa State University. They share key takeaways from the conference, including the importance of integrating data when evaluating whole-herd livability, building a culture of care among employees and adopting new technologies. Above all, the discussion reinforces that this industry remains, at its core, a people business.