December 6, 2000

National Pork Producers Council President (NPPC) Craig Jarolimek announced Tuesday that U.S. pork producers now can ship their product into Argentina "following years of concerted effort." The certification initially covers boneless pork products. The approval to ship bone-in pork cuts is pending. The Argentine market for imported pork is estimated at 30,000 metric tons a year.

Jarolimek said that while it will take time to build market share in Argentina, opening the market to U.S. pork "is another victory in a worldwide effort to eliminate unfair barriers to trade. The U.S. pork market is open to the world. All we desire is an opportunity to compete fairly. Given that, the quality, consistency and value of U.S. pork will sell itself."

In September, Jarolimek and other NPPC representatives met with Argentine officials. Jarolimek pointed out that U.S. pork producers support allowing sound science to determine whether a foreign product was safe for importation and expected Argentina to do the same.