Source:  Tom Johnston, MEATINGPLACE.COM, 12/14/09

A week after China officially declared its doors reopened to U.S. pork, Beijing and Washington still are hashing out terms of trade, according to a report by Dow Jones that quoted an anonymous USDA official.

"Negotiations are ongoing," the USDA official was quoted as saying. "They are looking at the lingering issues in order to resume pork trade."

Jim Herlihy, vice president of information services for the U.S. Meat Export Federation, told Meatingplace there is cautious optimism among industry members given the potential of the Chinese market.

Still, expectations should be managed to account for the fact that last year's U.S. pork exports to China, which were valued at $560 million and made China the fastest-growing market in 2008, were "an anomaly," Herlihy said.

Analysts have noted that the 2008 totals were inflated by demand from the Beijing Olympics.

"Until the first shipment goes out, I think it's all discussion at this point," Herlihy said.

China had banned U.S. pork in May following an outbreak of H1N1.

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