Pork Quality Assurance	July and August, 1997

AASP Joins the PQA Partner^SM Program

The United States is fast becoming a major player in the global pork marketplace. Increased foreign trade efforts over the past 10 years have added at least $1.00­$1.25 per cwt to producer cash hog prices, or approximately $246 million annually in the United States hog market. The United States rose from being seventh- to second-largest pork exporter in the world during that period. Trade experts say that the United States is now poised to become the world's top pork exporter, perhaps tripling present exports in volume and value by the turn of the century.

By promoting customer condence in the safety and wholesomeness of United States pork, the Pork Quality Assurance^SM (PQA^SM) Program is an important contributor to the present and future growth of the pork industry, and veterinarians play an integral role in this endeavor. Currently, more than 70% of United States pork is produced by PQA^SM Level-III producers, more than 90% of whom were veried by veterinarians. It is vitally important that the industry reaches its goal of having all pigs produced under PQA^SM Level III by the year 2000.

The PQA^SM Partner program began in 1995 as a way to enlist the help of pork allied industries in encouraging all United States pork producers to complete the PQA^SM Program. The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) and the PQA^SM Program welcome the AASP as a new PQA^SM Partner. For 1997, 16 PQA^SM Partners have committed to various activities intended to promote PQA^SM. These include distributing the PQA^SM booklets to producers and encouraging them to complete Level III, promoting the benets of PQA^SM in publications or newsletters, and including the PQA^SM PARTNER logo in print ads and brochures. In turn, PQA^SM partners receive special recognition when producers certify or recertify at Level III, when producers attend the World Pork Expo and state trade shows, and through special projects throughout the year. PQA^SM Partners also are recognized when periodic PQA^SM verier lists are mailed, helping to promote AASP veterinarians as leaders in advocating the pork industry.

The PQA^SM Program already has beneted from a close working relationship with the AASP, and looks forward to the opportunities for further partnership through the PQA^SM Partner Program. The AASP PQA^SM Partner activities are being coordinated through the AASP's Public Relations Committee. Look for highlights in this column in upcoming issues of Swine Health and Production.

Dr. Paul Sundberg
NPPC Director of Veterinary Issues