A U.S. Meat Export Federation delegation traveled through Japan and Sendai this past week. USMEF president and CEO Dan Halstrom told reporters Japan is eager to make progress in the agreement in principle with the U.S. “We are operating at a disadvantage at the moment in trade with the country compared to key competitors like Australia, Canada and Mexico,” said Halstrom. “We’re happy to say the trade is enthusiastic about the prospect of getting on a level playing field sooner rather than later. The timing of our trip, in that regard, was perfect.” Halstrom didn’t have a timeline for the completion of the U.S. and Japan agreement. Minnesota Pork Board CEO David Preisler also traveled with the USMEF. He said there’s been discussions on African swine fever. “We talked about where demand may come from and supplies,” said Preisler. “We also had discussions about what we’re doing to keep the virus out of the U.S. so we can maintain the status of being a reliable supplier.”
