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Pork Industry Leadership Team Examines Mexican Market

Published: Nov 21, 2014

The Pork Leadership Institute team observes a U.S. pork supermarket promotion in Mexico

Last week 18 young U.S. pork producers visited Mexico, the leading volume market for U.S. pork exports, as part of the Pork Leadership Institute (PLI). The PLI combines National Pork Board (NPB) and National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) leadership programs into a comprehensive curriculum designed to develop future leaders for the U.S. pork industry. In cooperation with NPB and NPPC, USMEF-Mexico coordinated activities to showcase the market for the PLI team.

USMEF has been associated with the PLI program for many years, noted John Hinners, assistant vice president for industry relations.

The delegation tours the meat department at a Costco store in Mexico

“The PLI team’s Mexico tour was an excellent opportunity for these pork industry leaders to see their checkoff dollars at work in many ways,” he said “This program has helped educate many future leaders of the U.S. pork industry. It is important for them to get exposure to the international markets that are currently purchasing 27 percent of total U.S. pork production – and Mexico is a big part of that success.”

Through September, U.S. pork/pork variety meat exports to Mexico are on a record pace, increasing 13 percent year-over-year in volume (to 503,614 metric tons) and 36 percent in value to $1.16 billion.