The U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) hosted their Strategic Planning Conference last week in Indianapolis. During the conference, one of Indiana’s farmers was named to lead the organization’s committee that connects livestock producers with grain producers.
“I’m a firm believer in the ‘rising tides raise all boats’ mentality, so I’m hoping that we can do some good work for all of Indiana agriculture,” said David Hardin, a corn, soybean, and pork producer based in Hendricks County, has just been named to USMEF’s Executive Committee representing grains and oilseed producers.
He tells Hoosier Ag Today that the work that’s being done between the Indiana Soybean Alliance and USMEF is a “win-win” for both grain and livestock producers.
“We’ve been going through a series of issues with exporting our grains, and specifically Indiana soybeans. So, this is one of those opportunities where we may not be exporting the soybeans, but we can export the soybeans by walking pork and beef off of our farms and then having those enter the export channels,” he said.
During the USMEF Conference, one point of conversation involved President Trump’s new trade deal with China. Does Hardin believe that trade deal, and others, will ultimately end up helping America’s grain and livestock producers?
“Time will tell, is probably the best answer I can give you on that,” said Hardin. “Whether China and their market is going to open up to us significantly it is still a question mark. But, the Trump administration and organizations like the U.S. Meat Export Federation have been working on lots of other countries like Vietnam because they are very much taking a ‘let’s not put all of our eggs in one basket’ approach.”
Hardin replaces Mark Legan, a corn, soybean, and pork producer who is also from Hendricks County, who had previously served on USMEF’s Executive Committee representing grains and oilseed producers.
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