Arkansas’s agricultural producers are reacting to recent trade trouble between the U.S. and China. While analysts have stopped short of calling it a trade war, the two countries have spent the last few weeks announcing a series of new tariffs on airplanes, cars, high tech and numerous agricultural products that include pork.
About one in four hogs raised in the U.S. is exported, according to Jim Monroe of the National Pork Producers Council. China represents the third highest value market for U.S. pork with purchases of more than $1.1 billion per year.
“Even the tiniest penetration into the Chinese market can result in millions of pounds of volume,” said David Newman, an Arkansas State University Animal Sciences professor whose family has been involved with pork production for many years.
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