Oct 15, 2003 12:00 PM,
by Joe Vansickle, Senior Editor (952) 851-4670; jvansickle@primediabusiness.com
President Bush announced an agreement with the Russian Federation that will benefit pork producers' bottom lines by increasing the sale of pork products from the U.S. to Russia.
“The Russian Federation has taken numerous actions during the past few years that have negatively impacted U.S. pork producers and others in U.S. agriculture,” observes Jon Caspers, president of the National Pork Producers Council. “President Bush committed to resolve these problems and he delivered.
“Our producers were really harmed by Russia's restrictions on U.S. poultry exports. Russia is the U.S. poultry industry's number one export market, and the Russian restrictions backed up the poultry supply in the U.S. and brought down the prices of U.S. pork and live hogs,” he remarks. Russian restrictions on U.S. pork imports compounded the problem.
The administration's action sets a country-specific quota that will help shield U.S pork from dumped and subsidized pork exports from Brazil and the European Union to Russia.
There was a lot to be positive about in the pork industry the last week of October. I realize it is difficult to be optimistic when you are still losing $25 to $30/head. I also realize that positive news at this point could be as dangerous as it is welcome. But facts are facts, and we must recognize them.
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As I begin this week's column, I"m reminded of two different "flip side" statements that may help characterize the topic at hand. The first is the old Archie Campbell schtick - "That's good - no that’s bad," which I have used before. The second reflects President Truman's frustration with economists' incessant use of the qualifier - "on the other hand" - to introduce the contrary opinion on a given topic. President Truman once demanded in his usual colorful language: "Will someone please find me a *!&%$*?>
