China reopens market to U.S. pork

China reopens market to U.S. pork    The United States and China have reached an agreement to reopen the Chinese market to U.S. pork and pork product exports.
   U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk said in a March 18 statement that he was 'pleased that China affirmed in our meetings that they will base their decisions on international science-based guidelines.'
   About 20 percent of U.S. pork production was exported in 2009. Prior to the H1N1 trade restrictions, U.S. pork and pork variety meats exports to China were valued at about $275 million in 2008. China was the United States' seventh-largest market, accounting for 6 percent of U.S. pork exports, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
   On March 17, China's Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine accepted the U.S. proposal to resume exports of U.S. pork, following meetings with James Miller, USDA's undersecretary for farm and foreign agricultural services, and Jim Murphy, assistant U.S. trade representative for agricultural affairs, last week.
   U.S. pork trade with China will resume immediately once both sides finalize the export documentation.
   'We look forward to working cooperatively to resolve additional issues, including a resumption of trade in beef,' Kirk said.