The U.S. recently imposed an extra tax on Chinese tire imports. Iowa’s Secretary of Agriculture is concerned the move could prompt China to retaliate by continuing its ban on U.S. pork. Bill Northey says Iowa’s pork industry is already suffering because of misconceptions about a connection between the new H-1-N-1 swine flu and eating pork.
“Our government trade folks need to sit down with their government trade folks and need to find out how we can understand each other’s concerns,” Northey said. “I certainly would hope that pork is a part of that.” Northey says it’s unclear if and when China will lift the ban but he believes the U.S. tire tariff is probably bad news for the pork industry.
“I think it’s likely to cause this to last even longer than it would have because of the tension between the U.S. and China on trade,” Northey said. China purchased about 700-million dollars worth of U.S. pork last year with Iowa filling about one-third of that order.