ATLANTA — Federal government trade officials visited the International Production & Processing Expo (IPPE) to hear from stakeholders in the meat, animal food, poultry and egg industries. 

Ambassador Doug McKalip, chief agricultural negotiator in the Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR), and Alexis Taylor, undersecretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs at the US Department of Agriculture, led the group of officials in Atlanta. 

“We are privileged to have the nation’s top trade officials take time from their busy schedules to participate in IPPE, meeting with exhibitors and participants, and discussing ways the United States can support agricultural exports, expand and diversify foreign markets, and address global sustainability challenges,” said the IPPE show organizers. “Their work on behalf of our members and IPPE exhibitors and attendees recognizes the important value the animal protein and feed industries play in the US economy and global trade.”

Taylor toured the exhibit hall, where she met with companies from three different industries, along with a media roundtable to answer questions. She stated that for every $1 billion in US agricultural exports, almost 7,000 jobs are created and $1 billion is added to the economy to support rural and urban communities. 

Both Taylor and McKalip participated in a trade panel discussion, moderated by Constance Cullman, president and chief executive officer of American Feed Industry Association. This was part of AFIA’s Pet Food Conference, which nearly 500 people attended.

Taylor explained the Biden administration’s approach to trade and what it means for American agricultural producers, including the pet food industry.

“The Biden-Harris administration’s approach to trade has created a direct pathway between initial discussions and clear and positive outcomes for American producers,” McKalip said. “The fact that we’ve gotten 12 different tariffs lowered just last year and 31 different markets to eliminate barriers to access, shows that we are seeing the payoff of our time and efforts.”

After that panel, both officials moved onto an executive roundtable with representatives from AFIA, USPOULTRY and the Meat Institute that was moderated by Julie Anna Potts, president and CEO of the Meat Institute.

“I was also particularly glad to hear their support for the Protein PACT and to learn about their work to promote animal agriculture as part of the solution in global sustainability negotiations and conversations,” Potts said.

According to IPPE numbers, between 25%-30% of US pork production, 13%-15% of US beef production, 16%-20.2% of US poultry meat production and 2.1%-5.5% of US eggs are exported annually.

In 2022, the last calendar year for which annual data is available, the export value for beef, pork and combined poultry and eggs totaled more than $11.6 billion, $7.6 billion, $6.23 billion, respectively. These exports add value across the supply chain, supporting producers, packers and processors, workers and rural communities. 

When it comes to animal feed, feed ingredients and pet food, eliminating trade barriers and opening markets is also a priority. In 2022, the overall export value for these three products totaled $7.5 billion and the total volume of exports stood at 9 million tonnes.