U.S. Pork Industry Advocates Trade, Policy, Innovation at World Pork Expo

At the 2025 World Pork Expo, industry leaders expressed cautious optimism about the U.S. pork sector's future despite recent challenges such as trade tensions, disease outbreaks like PRRS, and financial stresses from high input costs. National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) officials emphasized the importance of a unified advocacy strategy to secure economic certainty for producers, focusing on trade expansion, particularly market access into Vietnam, and addressing domestic regulatory hurdles like California's Proposition 12. Producers discussed ongoing health challenges and the potential of gene-editing technology to enhance disease resistance, though they acknowledged that no single solution currently exists. Economists predict a significant turnaround in producer profitability in 2025, aided by improved productivity and efficiency despite lingering cost pressures. Concurrently, the National Pork Board launched a new marketing campaign aimed at younger, ethnically diverse consumers to highlight pork's versatility, flavor, and cultural relevance, aligning with shifting consumer preferences toward taste, nutrition, and convenience. Overall, the industry is adapting through coordinated policy efforts, technological innovation, and targeted marketing to navigate the complex landscape ahead.