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NPPC concerned about tariff retaliation

The president of the National Pork Producers Council is concerned about retaliatory tariffs.

Lori Stevermer spoke to Brownfield during the Minnesota Pork Congress in Mankato and calls this an interesting time in agriculture.

“One thing I think that’s really on peoples’ minds right away is just the tariff discussions, and certainly the concern with retaliatory tariffs back against the pork industry.”

President Trump has targeted Canada, Mexico, and China, which Stevermer says are three important markets for U.S. pork.

“Mexico is really our top market for pork products, we send about 40 percent of our hams there. China, we send a lot of our pork byproducts there. And of course Canada is a good partner both in terms of sending pork products there, and then getting weaned pigs into the U.S.”

The Minnesota pork producer says it’s been a rollercoaster with the Trump administration imposing tariffs on Canada and Mexico, then suspending them for one month.