National Pork Producers Council Applauds New Asian Trade Agreements Expanding Market Access for U.S. Pork
The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) is welcoming a series of new trade agreements and frameworks negotiated by the Trump administration that promise to open significant export opportunities for U.S. pork producers across Asia. The agreements with Japan, Malaysia, and Cambodia, along with frameworks under development with Thailand and Vietnam, mark a major step toward expanding market access for American agriculture.
According to the NPPC, these new trade agreements are especially meaningful because pork is a culinary staple in each of the participating nations, ensuring strong demand for U.S. pork exports.
“The trade agreements with Japan, Malaysia, and Cambodia, as well as the frameworks with Thailand and Vietnam are good news for the pork industry as pork is a culinary staple in each country.”
Japan, already one of the largest markets for U.S. pork, imported $1.4 billion in 2024, and the new agreement includes measures to further open Japanese markets to a wider range of U.S. agricultural products.
“According to the National Pork Producers Council, Japan is already a major importer of pork amounting to $1.4 billion in 2024 and the trade agreement includes Japan’s efforts to further open its market to U.S. Agriculture products.”
Meanwhile, the trade pacts with Cambodia and Malaysia represent important breakthroughs for U.S. food exporters. These agreements allow all U.S. food facilities under USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) inspection to export to these Southeast Asian nations—streamlining export certification and expanding opportunities for pork and other agricultural products.
The framework agreements with Vietnam and Thailand also signal strong momentum for U.S. agriculture. They are expected to improve market access and reduce trade barriers, with the Trump administration indicating that Thailand will eliminate tariffs on 99% of U.S. goods once negotiations are finalized.
“The frameworks with Vietnam and Thailand include better market access for U.S. ag exports and as further discussions continue, the Trump administration has indicated that Thailand will eliminate tariffs on 99% of U.S. Goods.”
In a statement, the NPPC emphasized the importance of continued trade expansion in Asia:
“NPPC strongly supports expanding market access in Asia through agreements that eliminate tariff and non-tariff barriers, which have been used by many countries in the region to restrict U.S. pork imports. NPPC will continue urging the Trump administration to negotiate deals that will boost U.S. agricultural exports.”
The U.S. pork industry’s success depends heavily on global trade. In 2024, pork exports totaled $8.6 billion, accounting for about 25% of total U.S. pork production and supporting more than 140,000 American jobs. On average, exports added over $66 in value per hog marketed, underscoring the sector’s reliance on robust international markets.
“The U.S. pork industry is highly dependent on exports, which in 2024 topped $8.6 billion and equated to an average of more than $66 in value from each hog marketed. U.S. pork exports annually account for about 25% of total production and support more than 140,000 U.S. jobs.”
With Asia continuing to drive global pork consumption, these new trade deals position U.S. producers to capitalize on growing demand while reinforcing the nation’s role as a leading supplier of safe, high-quality pork products worldwide.
Audio Reporting by Dale Sandlin for Southeast AgNet.