Last year the U.S. pork industry exported nearly $7.7 billion worth of pork, with those exports supporting 155,000 U.S. jobs and adding $14.5 billion to the country's GDP. More importantly, Lori Stevermer says, those exports equated to about $61 per head marketed and 25% of the total pork produced.

"Our trade successes can largely be attributed to our ability to produce the world's safest, most nutritious, most affordable [pork], and to fair and unfettered access to foreign markets negotiated through comprehensive trade agreements," Stevermer says. "It is clear that such agreements are why we have been on average the top pork exporter in the world."

During the House Committee on Agriculture's Subcommittee on Nutrition, Foreign Agriculture, and Horticulture hearing on "Stakeholder Perspectives on Agricultural Trade" Thursday, Stevermer testified on behalf of the more than 60,000 pork producers nationwide. The National Pork Producer Council President-Elect says U.S. pork exports have increased more than 1800% in value and more than 1500% in volume since 1989, the year the United States implemented its first substantial free trade agreement.

"Comprehensive trade deals eliminate tariff and non-tariff barriers to U.S. goods, and they are vehicles for setting science-based standards and for resolving trade disputes that may arise," Stevermer says. "Policies that foster the free flow of goods and expand export markets are critical to the continued success of America's pork producers, U.S. agriculture and the overall American economy."

Stevermer says the U.S pork industry has five trade priorities:

"Fair and unfettered trade has helped the United States become an economic powerhouse," Stevermer concludes. "To maintain that position, the country must expand trade in existing markets and open new markets, and it must resolve issues that could negatively affect our ability to trade."