Borror: Port Shutdown Will Hurt Meat, Livestock Industries

The strike by dock workers across the East and Gulf Coast will impose a significant economic impact on the U.S. meat and livestock industries, according to U.S. Meat Export Federation Vice President for Economic Analysis Erin Borror. She noted the East Coast and Gulf ports have accounted directly for nearly $3 billion worth of U.S. red meat exports in the first seven months of the year.

“And so that equates to roughly $100 million or more worth of red meat exports per week going out of these ports," Borrer said. "And as we learned from the COVID shipping issues, when there is one disruption in the shipping or in the supply chain, there are ripple or domino effects.”

Borror noted all parties involved need to think about the impacts indirectly on all U.S. red meat exports, which were valued at over $11 billion in the first seven months of the year. She added this strike comes when shipments would typically be increasing.

“Our production and exports kind of accelerate, typically in the fourth quarter, and especially with our seasonal increase in pork production and exports, we're really looking at the need to be able to handle and accommodate more, including ahead of year-end holidays. And of course, we're exporting record large share of our production for pork, and we're up over around 30% of pork production going to export when we include variety meats, and for beef about 14% of that beef and variety meats being exported, and again, necessary for the profitability of our industries.”

Borror noted this shutdown of the ports will hurt large as well as small businesses connected to the U.S. meat industry.

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