Although final export numbers aren’t talled for 2025 yet, demand for U.S. pork remained strong despite headwinds, according to U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) president and CEO Dan Halstrom. He points out much of that demand growth is coming from key free trade agreement partners.
“If you look at what’s been working well, you really have to start with some of these countries where we have existing free trade agreements,” Halstrom says. “There’s no better example than Latin America. Mexico is absolutely on fire for pork, setting records for the last three years, including this year.”
He says this growth is not limited to Mexico. Central America is another area that continues to grow, in addition to Asia and Korea.
“I think there’s a lot of good things going on in these markets, which, as we segueway into 2026, has a lot of opportunity going forward,” Halstrom adds.
In 2026 USMEF will lay the groundwork to expand markets fueled by programs like USDA’s America First Trade Promotion Program.
“Central America has been booming recently in the last four or five years, and we see further development potential on both beef and pork in that whole region,” he says.
As well, USMEF is excited about some newer regions around the world such as Malaysia in Southeast Asia. They are starting to make some progress on the variety meat side in West Africa and Central Africa, Halstrom says.
As USMEF looks forward to the new year, that strong protein demand is expected to remain, especially with an emerging middle class in many developing regions.
“We are positioned in the U.S. beef, pork and lamb industry to take advantage of that opportunity as we go forward in 2026,” Halstrom says.
