For Immediate Release
January 6, 1999

The lack of pork packing plant capacity has forced live market hog prices to all-time lows. In the past two years, the U.S. pork industry lost 37,000 head daily slaughter capacity at federally inspected plants due to plant closings.

To help alleviate the pork capacity issue, the American Association of Meat Processors (AAMP) has joined forces with the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) to link individual pork producers with meat processors.

AAMP is North America's largest meat trade organization, representing nearly 1,800 small- to medium-sized meat, poultry and food businesses including packers, processors and wholesalers.

"AAMP has meat processors that are having difficulty finding an ample supply of quality pork to fill their product needs," says Jeff Ward, NPPC Director of Producer Education. "This effort offers some much needed capacity relief at federally inspected plants and also provides some pork producers with the opportunity to build lasting business relationships with area meat processing companies."

Pork producers interested in locating a participating meat processor may call AAMP (www.aamp.com) at 717/367-1168, or Jeff Ward, NPPC Director of Producer Education, at 515/223-2600.

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