U.S. Pork Companies Will Export Pork to Japan

November 8, 1999

Nearly 100 metric tons a month of U.S. premium pork center loins and other processed pork products will be sold in Japan under an agreement between two U.S. companies and Nichimen Corporation of Japan. The products will be used in restaurants and sold at retail.

Ellison Meat Company, Pipestone, MN, and its partner, Swift and Co., Greeley, CO, a unit of ConAgra Inc. signed the export agreement with Nichimen Friday, according to Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura who announced the deal during a Tokyo event showcasing Minnesota food products. Ventura and other Minnesota officials are in Japan on a 10-day trade mission.

Ellison is owned by a group of nearly 80 southwest Minnesota pork producers who feed hogs for processing at Swift's Worthington, MN, plant under contract. Ellison then further processes the products at the Pipestone plant. Farmers jointly own and operate breeding and farrowing facilities but raise the hogs to market weight on their own farms.

Nichimen is a diversified company with a meat import group that distributes pork to restaurants and retailers throughout Japan. In addition to Nichimen, Ellison also exports pork and beef products to ohter Japanese companies include Starzen Corp. and Nichirei Corp.