From Iowa to the World: Prioritizing Strong Export Markets for Iowa Pork
Iowa’s pork industry is a vital economic engine for our families, farmers, main street businesses, and rural communities. Our 5,400 pig farms raise roughly 23 million hogs every year, which account for one-third of the nation’s total pork production, generate nearly $41 billion in sales across the entire pork supply chain, and support almost 150,000 Iowa jobs in production, processing, and harvesting. However, a critical, yet often overlooked, component of pork production is trade. In 2021 alone, Iowa exported roughly $2.7 billion worth of pork, and some industry reports indicate that 36% of the value of every pig is attributed to export markets. In short, trade is a big deal for our producers. Serving on the House Ways and Means Committee, which oversees our trade laws, and the House Agriculture Committee, which will write the 2023 Farm Bill, I am working to leverage my voice to advocate for policies that will promote pork exports and support our hog farmers, their families, and the entire pork industry in Iowa.
First, we need to allocate more dollars to the Market Access Program (MAP) and the Foreign Market Development Program (FMD) to build and maintain a strong export market for Iowa pork. These programs, administered through the USDA, equip trade associations with the resources they need to promote Iowa pork on the global market and secure increased demand for American-made pork products. Following many conversations with pork producers across Iowa’s 4th Congressional District on my Feenstra Agriculture Tour, I helped introduce the Agriculture Export Promotion Act, which would double funding for MAP and FMD to elevate Iowa’s competitive advantage in pork exports. For every dollar invested in these programs, our producers realized $24 in added value. In my view, this is a no-brainer.
Second, we must do everything in our power to prevent a foreign animal disease outbreak on American soil, which would severely impact our ability to export pork products abroad. To proactively address this issue, I helped introduce legislation – the Foreign Animal Disease Prevention, Surveillance, and Rapid Response Act – to mitigate the worst outcomes of a foreign animal disease outbreak, equip our producers with the tools they need to protect their pigs, and ensure that the USDA can, in a worst-case scenario, effectively and efficiently respond to an outbreak. This bill specifically strengthens three vital programs – first authorized in the 2018 Farm Bill – to combat diseases like African Swine Fever. These programs include the National Animal Health Laboratory Network, the National Animal Disease Preparedness and Response Program, and the National Animal Vaccine and Veterinary Countermeasures Bank. This three-pronged approach to prevention, mitigation, and rapid response is a commonsense solution that provides much-needed certainty and relief for our producers to be profitable and productive during times of crisis.
Third, while I am laser-focused on opening new markets for Iowa pork and negotiating new trade deals that benefit our producers, these initiatives are counterproductive if we lack the cold-storage infrastructure pork requires to reach global consumers. As such, I am working with my colleagues to develop, fund, and enhance export infrastructure, including cold-chain storage, in new and developing foreign markets. This collaboration will ensure that Iowa pork exports do not spoil before they reach their final destination; a worthy and cost-saving measure. By fortifying our refrigeration infrastructure abroad, we will build a more resilient supply chain that can support increased exports and pave the way for more dynamic trade agreements.
Iowa pork is the best in the world. Thus, it is only right that our trade policies ensure that more communities in every corner of the globe can easily purchase and enjoy more Iowa pork products. In Congress, I will continue to work to increase Iowa pork exports and advocate for the hardworking hog farmers and pork producers who have cemented Iowa’s status as the top pork-producing state in the nation and a serious competitor in global pork markets. Together, I know that Iowa pork production will remain a staple of our farm economy and a proud tradition of excellence in our rural communities.
This op-ed was originally published in the July 2023 edition of the Iowa Pork Producers Magazine.