U.S. pork exports set a new volume record in 2016, reaching 2.31 million metric tons, thanks in part to a fifth consecutive record year for exports to Mexico.

Click here for an audio report from Dan Halstrom, U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) senior vice president for marketing.  Halstrom says that Mexico is an especially strong destination for hams, but the U.S. industry ships a wide range of pork cuts to Mexico.

Halstrom adds that other Western Hemisphere markets also made important contributions to U.S. pork export growth in 2016. Exports to Canada were higher year-over-year, shipments to Central America were record-large and after a slow start, exports to Colombia came on very strong late in the year.

The Illinois Corn Marketing Board partners with the U.S. Meat Export Federation to promote U.S. beef and pork internationally.  One in every four hogs is exported from the U.S. and Illinois is fourth in the nation in hog production