With the Support of the USAID AGRO Program, Ukrainian Pork Producers Will Study Modern Production Models to Restore the Industry

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Due to the war, the Ukrainian pig industry lost about 12% of its livestock, and the domestic market lost more than 100 thousand tons of pork in 2022. At the same time, the sector remains important for providing food for the population and economic activity in rural areas.

More efficient and modern production models will contribute to the recovery of pig production and its long-term development in Ukraine. Entrepreneurs are ready to increase their pig production capacity by implementing such modern models, in particular based on the experience of the United States. First of all, it is about contracting: a business relationship between a sire farm and a fattener, when the latter receives a fixed fee for fattening commercial livestock at the request of the sire. The sire provides the feedlot with feed and veterinary support. In fact, the majority of pigs in the United States are raised under this model.

In order to better understand how the model works in practice, its economic component and legal aspects, ten member companies of the Ukrainian Association of Ukrainian Pig Breeders will take part in a study tour to the United States, which will be supported by the USAID Agricultural and Rural Development Program (AGRO). The program of the visit includes a series of meetings with local pig business owners, industry experts, and leading experts on pig breeding technologies and health.

On June 7−9, the group will take part in the largest exhibition in the pig industry in the United States — World Pork Expo 2023, where it will represent Ukraine at the stand of the Association of Ukrainian Pig Breeders

A number of official meetings are also planned during the visit, including with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, representatives of senators in Washington, D.C., and the Iowa Secretary of Agriculture. The meetings will focus on the state of Ukrainian agriculture, primarily pig production, as well as possible cooperation between the Association of Ukrainian Pig Breeders and key operators in the US.