Pig World
  • News
      • Animal Health
      • Breeding
      • Business
      • Environment
      • EU
      • Food Safety
      • Housing
      • Marketing
      • NPA
      • National Pig Awards
      • New Products
      • Nutrition
      • People
      • Pig Fair
      • Politics
      • Training & Education
      • Welfare
  • Features
    • Animal Health
    • Breeding
    • Environment
    • Farm Visits
    • Herd Recording
    • Housing
    • Marketing
    • Nutrition
    • Products
    • Training
  • Comment
    • AHDB Pork
    • Chris Fogden
    • Dennis Bridgeford
    • Peter Crichton
    • Red Robin
    • Veterinary View
    • Zoe Davies, NPA
  • Numbers
  • Pig Prices
  • Magazines
    • July 2025
    • June 2025
    • 2025 Innovation supplement
    • May 2025
    • April 2025
    • March 2025
    • 2025 Buildings supplement
    • February 2025
    • 2025 Nutrition Supplement
    • January 2025
    • December 2024
    • November 2024
    • 2025 National Pig Awards supplement
    • October 2024
    • September 2024
    • August 2024
    • 2024 Pig Health supplement
    • July 2024
    • June 2024
    • 2024 Innovation supplement
    • 2024 Pig & Poultry Fair Guide
    • May 2024
    • April 2024
    • 2024 Buildings Supplement
    • March 2024
    • 2024 Pig Nutrition supplement
    • February 2024
    • January 2024
    • December 2023
    • November 2023
    • 2023 National Pig Awards supplement
    • October 2023
    • September 2023
    • Health Supplement
  • Suppliers
  • Jobs
    • Browse Jobs
    • Post a Job
    • Manage Jobs
  • Classified
  • Events
    • Pigs Tomorrow
    • National Pig Awards
Podcast
Pig WorldPig World
  • News
      • Animal Health
      • Breeding
      • Business
      • Environment
      • EU
      • Food Safety
      • Housing
      • Marketing
      • NPA
      • National Pig Awards
      • New Products
      • Nutrition
      • People
      • Pig Fair
      • Politics
      • Training & Education
      • Welfare
  • Features
    • Animal Health
    • Breeding
    • Environment
    • Farm Visits
    • Herd Recording
    • Housing
    • Marketing
    • Nutrition
    • Products
    • Training
  • Comment
    • AHDB Pork
    • Chris Fogden
    • Dennis Bridgeford
    • Peter Crichton
    • Red Robin
    • Veterinary View
    • Zoe Davies, NPA
  • Numbers
  • Pig Prices
  • Magazines
    1. July 2025
    2. June 2025
    3. 2025 Innovation supplement
    4. May 2025
    5. April 2025
    6. March 2025
    7. 2025 Buildings supplement
    8. February 2025
    9. 2025 Nutrition Supplement
    10. January 2025
    11. December 2024
    12. November 2024
    13. 2025 National Pig Awards supplement
    14. October 2024
    15. September 2024
    16. August 2024
    17. 2024 Pig Health supplement
    18. July 2024
    19. June 2024
    20. 2024 Innovation supplement
    21. 2024 Pig & Poultry Fair Guide
    22. May 2024
    23. April 2024
    24. 2024 Buildings Supplement
    25. March 2024
    26. 2024 Pig Nutrition supplement
    27. February 2024
    28. January 2024
    29. December 2023
    30. November 2023
    31. 2023 National Pig Awards supplement
    32. October 2023
    33. September 2023
    34. Health Supplement
    Featured

    July 2025 issue of Pig World now available

    July 6, 2025
    Recent

    July 2025 issue of Pig World now available

    July 6, 2025

    June 2025 issue of Pig World now available

    June 4, 2025

    2025 Innovation supplement now available

    June 4, 2025
  • Suppliers
  • Jobs
    • Browse Jobs
    • Post a Job
    • Manage Jobs
  • Classified
  • Events
    • Pigs Tomorrow
    • National Pig Awards
LinkedIn X (Twitter)
Pig World
Comment

Science and fact, not perception, must be the basis of US-UK trade deal

PW ReportersBy PW ReportersDecember 7, 20184 Mins Read
LinkedIn Twitter Facebook Email

Nick Giordano, Vice President and Counsel, Global Government Affairs of the National Pork Producers Council in the US, outlines the barriers that must be overcome ahead of a possible UK-US trade deal

There is a saying, often referred to as an ancient Chinese curse: “May you live in interesting times.”

Whatever its origin, the phrase rings true to us at the National Pork Producers Council. The US pork industry is expanding – new processing operations are coming on line and the herd is growing amid exciting innovation.

But the industry faces challenges as well. The most important being for the US pork industry to eliminate barriers to foreign markets.

Access to international markets has driven our expansion. The US over the past 11 years, on average, has been the top pork exporting country worldwide. US exports of pork in 2017 added, on average, over 35% to the value of each hog.

Through well-designed free trade agreements, the US exports more pork to the 20 countries with which it has agreements than to all other nations combined.

The challenge is to continue to develop a level playing field across all export markets.

Key to a thriving pork industry are markets that are free from all tariff and non-tariff barriers and that accept modern, science-based production methods that meet international standards.

While it is encouraging to hear US and UK officials express their desire to enter into free trade negotiations, any agreement must eliminate these impediments.

Specifically, a free trade agreement with the UK must be based on Codex and other science- based standards, not European Union standards that have defined Britain’s trade policy to date.

While the EU has made a science of disparaging food from the US, the reality is that the US provides the safest, highest quality pork and other food products in the world.

Science, not perception, and fact, not allegations, must be the basis of any US-UK trade deal.

Of significant concern:

Tariffs
The current Tariff Rate Quotas, which significantly restrict US pork imports with high in-quota duties and high out-of-quota tariffs, must be replaced with zero-tariff access for US pork.

Ractopamine ban
Europe bans the use of ractopamine in pork production and the import of pork produced with ractopamine. There is no science-based risk assessment to justify this and US pork producers already meet an international residue standard set by the UN’s Codex Alimentarius Commission. A trade agreement with the UK must drop barriers to trade based on pork produced with ractopamine.

Trichinae Mitigation
The EU requirement that the US conduct trichinae risk mitigation, such as testing or freezing as a condition for market access, must be dropped. According to the US Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, there is negligible risk of trichinae in the US commercial pig herd because of high biosecurity protocols and modern production systems.

Pathogen Reduction Treatments
These treatments have been scientifically proven to produce a safer product by reducing the risk of bacterial contamination. The UN’s Codex Alimentarius has recognised the safety of these treatments in meat production when used in accordance with good manufacturing practices.

Plant Inspection Equivalency
Pork in the US is safe and wholesome. US pork producers in America expect the UK to recognise the US plant inspection system as equivalent to its system and to allow the importation of pork from USDA-approved plants without equivocation.

If our governments can eliminate these and other barriers to market entry in the pork sector, then our markets will become more efficient, our products cheaper and our food supply safer.

We will be in a stronger position to address the challenge of keeping food affordable and available to an expanding global population.

The EU’s precautionary stance is a cancerous approach that will stifle innovation and will put significant upward pressure on global food prices.

American pork producers want, and what all producers across the world should want, is a level playing field and a science-based approach to production.

Establishing these market conditions will mitigate uncertainty, breed innovation, spur growth and keep food affordable.

These may be interesting times, but together we can turn that from a curse into a blessing.

Share. LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Email
Previous ArticleIndustry seeking funding for major partnership PRRS project
Next Article Thankfully, the Government did listen to our outcry on welfare codes
PW Reporters

Read Similar Stories

Comment: British pork reimagined: Data-led marketing for a changing consumer

July 9, 2025

Comment: Market recovery, export growth and on-farm innovation

July 7, 2025

Comment: Encouraging signs as big pig issues discussed in parliament

July 4, 2025
Latest News

ABN kicks off pioneering long-term mill project

July 11, 2025

Red Tractor to press ahead with new tiers for outdoor pig producers

July 10, 2025

Last chance to enter or nominate for 2025 National Pig Awards

July 10, 2025
Sponsored Content

THE GATEKEEPER OF RESPIRATORY HEALTH – MYCOPLASMA HYOPNEUMONIAE (M.HYO)

April 30, 2024

Tackle the root cause of PWD with free diagnostic tests

March 1, 2024
Current Pig Industry jobs
  • Senior-Level Pig Stockperson – Ref 1760 Hampshire

    • Hampshire
    • Roadhogs Recruitment Ltd.
    • Full Time
  • Pig Stockperson – Ref 1759 North Yorkshire

    • North Yorkshire
    • Roadhogs Recruitment Ltd.
    • Full Time
  • Pig Stockperson – Ref 1758 Norfolk

    • Norfolk
    • Roadhogs Recruitment Ltd.
    • Full Time
GETTING IN TOUCH
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Meet The Editors
  • About Us
  • Email Newsletters
  • Subscribe
  • Reuse permissions
OUR SOCIAL CHANNELS
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
PARTNER EVENTS
RELATED SITES
  • Farmers Weekly
  • Agronomist & Arable Farmer
  • Farm Contractor
  • National Pig Awards
  • Pigs Tomorrow
  • Poultry News
  • Weekly Tribune
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookies Policy
  • Terms and Conditions
© 2024 MA Agriculture Ltd, a Mark Allen Group company

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.