Portions of the letter are set forth below:

 

“…because of the negative economic impact caused by the H1N1 virus outbreak and the losses the industry has incurred over the past two years, we are asking for additional help with the economic crisis the U.S. pork industry currently faces. Without your assistance, we are putting thousands of rural jobs and businesses at risk.”

 

“Mr. Secretary, we urge you take the following actions to provide much-needed emergency relief to the industry:

 

·        Purchase an additional $100 million, from Section 32 funds, of pork for various federal food programs with a maximum emphasis on purchasing meat from sows with the objective to reduce breeding stock to reduce hog numbers.

 

·        Work with appropriate federal agencies to help address swine disease surveillance on farms, related diagnostic and vaccine development, and swine industry support.

 

·        Work with the U.S. Trade Representative to open export markets to U.S. pork, particularly China, which continues to impose non-science-based restrictions on U.S. pork since the outbreak of H1N1. In 2008, China was the second largest volume market for U.S. pork exports, accounting for nearly 20 percent of total U.S. pork exports. Given the severely depressed state of the U.S. pork industry, resuming pork exports to China would give producers around the country a much-needed economic boost.”

 

Click here for a copy of the letter.

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