Sutherlin FFA

As one of the last countries to lift ban, China has agreed to start buy and using our pork products again. But still they are telling the pork producers not to expect a lot of exports to go out just yet. This is because China still produces most of its pork; also because exports to China were beginning to drop off in late 2008, before the swine flu epidemic started.  We have been losing money since 2007, so this was a very good thing that the ban was lifted for this industry.

Russia, another major part of our industry, lifted the ban they had because of swine flu last fall and still would not use our pork; they said they are worried because they have concerns of food safety. But the farms of this industry don’t believe that is the actually reason.  When the pork is sent to Russia it is tested at their processing plants for the antibiotic tetracycline and pathogens.

Before the ban on pork 20% was exported; China and Russia ere two of the biggest buyers. In 2008 China bought close to 700 million dollars of pork coming in third in the ranking. Russia was fifth with $476 million. China as one of the worlds larges consumers and producer of pork, does much like to depend on imports. But in 2008 when China had the Olympics there, pork was cheap then, and were having earthquakes and diseases that were affecting their hogs, they needed help to supply for extra crowds.

Now that the ban has been lifted, then the pork industry will improve slowly but surely.