A hot topic at this year’s World Pork Expo was the pending free trade agreements that are awaiting Congressional approval. Don Butler, immediate past president of the National Pork Producers cited the agreements between the U.S. and Colombia, Panama and South Korea could make a world of difference for the pork industry in this country. In fact, Butler says the agreement with Korea, if approved, could add at least $10 a head to hog prices (compared to about a dollar or so the Colombian and Panamanian agreements would add). Download (mp3) Butler’s remarks about the agreements at World Pork expo – or listen in the player: wpx10-butlertrade.mp3

Later, during a stop at the media room, I was able to sit down with Jong Hyun Choi, the Minister to the U.S. for Economic Affairs in the South Korean Embassy in Washington, D.C. and get his thoughts on the pending agreement. He pointed out that the agreement were signed three years ago, but Congress has not given final approval to implement the provisions.

“It’s just about past time for the agreement to be ratified, approved by the U.S. Congress.”

He went on to say one of the main reasons for his visit is to promote the FTA and point out the huge benefits U.S. pork producers and South Korea could see once it is approved.

“Once this agreement is implemented, then the more than 20 percent tariffs (currently on U.S. pork) will be eliminated for frozen pork and within 10 years for fresh and chilled products. So, that implementation could provide a very commercially meaningful leg up for U.S. pork producers.”

Choi added that South Korea has just completed a free trade agreement with the European Union, while hog farmers in Chile have already been enjoying much lower tariffs for the past six years, increasing their market share in South Korea. That trend worries the NPPC, as Butler believes lack of ratification of the U.S.-Korea and other FTAs could end up shutting out American hog farmers from those markets in the next 10 years.

Choi agreed that Congress needs to get moving on this issue, and pork producing groups, such as the NPPC, will need to help push that.

You can hear more of my conversation with Minister Choi in the player below.

Check out all the World Pork Expo 2010 Photo Album

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