203 



THIS PERCENTAGE IS DECLINING AS THE EXPORT COMMITMENT BY THE 

 GOVERNMENT DECLINES. 



INCREASING U.S. COMPETITIVENESS WILL REQUIRE LONG-TERM STRATEGIC 

 PLANNING AND A MORE EFFECTIVE GOVERNMENT/INDUSTRY PARTNERSHIP 



COMPETING IN THE INTERNATIONAL MARKETPLACE WILL BE THE PRIMARY 

 CHALLENGE OF THE REMAINDER OF THIS DECADE AND BEYOND. BECAUSE 

 RESOURCES ARE DECLINING, THE NATURE AND EFFECTIVENESS OF THE 

 INDUSTRY/GOVERNMENT PARTNERSHIP IS CRITICAL IF THE U.S. WANTS TO 

 HAVE EVEN A FIGHTING CHANCE IN THE INTERNATIONAL MARKETPLACE. 



THE IMPORTANCE OF EXPORTS TO THE U.S. RED MEAT INDUSTRY CANNOT 

 BE OVERSTATED. FACED WITH YEAR ON YEAR DECLINES IN CONSUMPTION, 

 U.S. BEEF, PORK, AND LAMB PRODUCERS ARE VIEWING FOREIGN MARKETS 

 NOT AS RESIDUAL CUSTOMERS BUT AS THE PRIMARY GROWTH SECTOR OF 

 TOTAL RED MEAT DEMAND. THE IMPLICATIONS OF THIS EXPORT GROWTH 

 ON OUR OWN ECONOMY ARE ENORMOUS. FOR EXAMPLE, THE U.S. PORK 

 INDUSTRY EMPLOYS 765,000 PEOPLE-MORE THAN THE TOTAL PAYROLL OF 

 FORD AND IBM COMBINED. 



