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NPPC Praises Hormel for Backing PQA Plus The National Pork Producers Council praised today’s action by Hormel Foods Corporation to require pork producers who want to sell to the company to be certified in the Pork Quality Assurance Plus® program, which educates and trains producers and their employees in responsible pork production. Starting Jan. 1, 2010, Hormel will require producers from whom it purchases hogs to be PQA Plus-certified. The company already requires producers, their employees and individuals who transport hogs to Hormel facilities to have certification in the Transport Quality Assurance® program, which teaches proper care and handling of hogs during movement from farm to packing plant. “Hormel’s action is welcomed and greatly appreciated,” said NPPC President Bryan Black, a pork producer from Canal Winchester, Ohio. “All pork producers should be certified in the PQA Plus and TQA programs because providing proper care and handling of pigs at every stage of production is the right thing to do.” PQA Plus is the latest effort by the National Pork Board to inform producers about animal care practices and food safety issues. Certification consists of education and training and an on-farm site evaluation. Producers also are subject to a third-party evaluation of their sites. One of the first companies to support the original PQA program by requiring its pork suppliers to participate in it, Hormel also announced its support for the U.S. pork industry’s new “We Care” responsible pork initiative, a component of PQA Plus that was developed by the National Pork Board and NPPC. It includes ethical principles to which producers should adhere, including producing safe food, protecting animal well-being, respecting the environment, contributing to communities and protecting public health. “Pork producers and the pork industry have been dedicated to maintaining and enhancing the quality of pork production for decades,” said Dallas Hockman, NPPC vice president for industry relations. “Hormel’s support for the ‘We Care’ initiative and for PQA Plus and TQA gives weight to the industry’s efforts to produce safe, wholesome, nutritious pork.” NPPC supports Obama nominee for USTR The National Pork Producers Council congratulated former Dallas mayor Ron Kirk on his nomination to be the next ambassador for the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. Kirk, who is pro-trade, was expected to be picked by President-elect Obama today at a noon press conference. “During his political career Ron Kirk has worked with both sides of the political aisle and was known as a coalition builder, attributes that will serve him well at USTR,” said NPPC President Bryan Black, a pork producer from Canal Winchester, Ohio. “NPPC looks forward to working with Ambassador Kirk on many important pork trade issues, and we will continue to promote an aggressive trade agenda in Washington.” NPPC hopes to work closely with Kirk to keep open to U.S. pork exports important markets such as China, Mexico, Russia and Taiwan. The organization also looks forward to a successful conclusion to the World Trade Organization’s Doha Round negotiations. NPPC’s biggest objective in those multilateral trade talks is significant new market access for U.S. pork in the European Union and in Japan. NPPC also will be urging the new USTR ambassador to press for congressional action on pending free trade agreements with Colombia, Panama and South Korea. The Korean agreement alone will raise live hog prices by more than $10 per animal when fully implemented. Trade has been vital to the U.S. pork industry. Through October, exports accounted for more than 20 percent of U.S. pork production; more than 1.7 million metric tons of pork worth more than $4.1 billion were exported. Much of the growth in U.S. pork exports – 2008 was the 17th consecutive record year of exports – can be attributed to market access gained through trade agreements. Kirk’s nomination is expected to be considered by the U.S. Senate when the 111th Congress convenes in January. |