During international trips focused on the pork industry?s international market development strategy, pork producers have the opportunity to experience other countries and cultures firsthand. It is also an important opportunity for real-world input on U.S. Pork. Their in-market presence brings the awareness of U.S. pork?s sustainability commitment along with other key priorities for the industry.
Courtney Knupp, The National Pork Board?s Vice President of International Market Development says these trips showcase the entirety of the value chain.
?To not only best position U.S. pork for their import needs, to differentiate U.S. pork from pork of other origins, and to get their feedback on how we can do a better job to improve our strategy and our tactics for either ease of doing business, or information they’d like to see on brand attributes such as sustainability.?
Knupp talks about how industry involvement may include the Pork Leadership Institute, which will include an international trip.
?One of the components of that year-long program is an international component. We’re looking to take that group this year to Mexico City the first week of November. And I remember that was my first trip abroad, and I’m very excited for these producers to see such a high-value market for U.S. pork is just top notch for their imported needs.?
Knupp mentions the many ways a pork producer can get themselves involved on an international trip.
?Many states have international objectives and trade missions and have individual investments with partners such as the U.S. Meat Export Federation. The National Pork Board certainly does. We have a task force, we have a board, we utilize our past presidents, and we always have our eye on up-and-coming leaders because this is such an important part of the portfolio and how we use checkoff dollars.?
The Checkoff has put together an international market development strategy to build confidence in U.S. pork in a diverse global protein market. To learn more, visit porkcheckoff.org.
