Page 14 - Australian Pork Newspaper

EU will not include agriculture in trade talks with US
TRADE agreements between the European Union and US have hit stalemate as agriculture is excluded from talks.
The US National Pork Producers Council said it cannot support a trade agreement between the US and EU that does not include agriculture, after the European Commis- sion recently issued draft negotiating mandates to EU member states that doesn’t include talks on agriculture.
NPPC President Jim Heimerl said the group was infuriated.
“The EU is one of the most protected markets in the world for a lot of agricultural products, including pork,” he said.
“We are pleased the Trump administration has been resolute in its demand that agriculture be included in the talks.”
Agriculture has been included in all US free- trade agreements, but agriculture is often wholly or partially ex- cluded from EU FTAs.
Indeed, many trade lawyers believe the EU’s trade deals do not com- ply with World Trade
Organisation rules be- cause they do not cover “substantially all trade”.
NPPC has been the leading voice among US agricultural organisa- tions on insisting a trade deal between the US and EU include agriculture and it address the EU’s restrictive tariff and non-tariff barriers to US farm products.
The organisation and 52 other food and farm groups in mid-Decem- ber sent a letter to the Office of the US Trade Representative, urging the Trump administra-
tion “to continue stress- ing to [the EU] that only a truly comprehensive agreement will be ac- ceptable to the Admin- istration and, ultimately, to the US Congress”.
EU tariff and non-tar- iff barriers on pork lim- ited US pork exports to the second-largest pork- consuming market in the world to less than 4000 metric tonnes in 2017.
The US sends more pork to countries includ- ing Chile, Costa Rica, El Salvador and Singapore than it does the EU.
According to Iowa
State University econo- mist Dermot Hayes, opening the EU market to US pork would result in billions of dollars in new exports to Europe.
Because of the EU’s barriers, the US had a trade deficit in food and agricultural goods of nearly $11 billion last year.
That deficit was just $1.8 billion in 2000.
“If the EU wants to con- clude a trade deal that will be approved by the US Congress, it needs to negotiate on agriculture,” Mr Heimerl said.
Super pigs out west
MOORA is a small com- munity 170km north of Perth.
Each year the town hosts hospital bed races to raise much-needed funds for the local Chaplaincy Committee.
With a theme of super- heros, nine colourful and cleverly decorated beds entered the recent Moora bed races.
The large crowd was treated to lots of excite- ment as the energetic run- ners pushed their beds, complete with patients,
into the setting sun down the main street.
Organised by volunteers from the local drug action group, each bed displayed signs stating “alcohol is no excuse for violence”.
Kamarah Piggery, 65km down the road at Wanna- mal, decided to put an en- try in this year, and with the superhero theme, the obvious choice was super pigs.
Without any practice, the workers embraced the true spirit and happily donned pink capes and
masks.
Two beds raced off
against each other with the two fastest going to the final.
Imagine the surprise when the flying pigs were the second fastest.
Edged out slightly by the local football team, the Super Pigs were extreme- ly happy with second place and gobsmacked to also win People’s Choice.
A fantastic event that was so much fun and raised $16,000 for Youth- CARE.
www.primegro.com.au
Results are based on typical progeny growth performance achieved using Primegro Genetics grown under a high health environment and fed using the Rivalea Nutritional Program.
Recipe
Prep time 1.10 hrs Cook time 20 min Serves 4
Author: Melbourne Foodie Finds
Hoisin pork with spring onion pancakes
INGREDIENTS
• 500g pork loin, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh root ginger,
grated
• 6 tablespoons dark hoisin sauce
• 2 spring onion sprigs, sliced
• 1 green capiscum, thinly with
seeds removed
• 1 carrot, julienned
• 1 red chilli, thinly sliced
• Coriander leaves, torn PANCAKES
• 2 cups plain flour (plus extra for
dusting)
• 2 cups chopped spring onion
(dark green only)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 2/3 cup warm water
METHOD
1. Combineflourandsaltinbowl. Make a well in the middle and add of a cup warm water, 2 tablespoons sesameoiland1tablespoonveg- etable oil. Mix in electric mixer to combine well. Turn dough onto floured surface and knead until
dough is smooth. Roll into a ball. Set aside for 1 hour in the fridge, wrapped in cling wrap.
2. Removefromfridgeanddivide the ball into 4 even portions. Roll each portion into an oval shape, spreading the dough as generously as possible. Brush surface of dough with vegetable oil and top with spring onion. Roll each oval into sausage, and then coil into a snail shape. Re-roll out each snail, into an even circle.
3. Heat a small amount of vegeta- ble oil in a frying pan. Cook each pancake on each side until golden. Place on a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.
4. Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a wok or deep frying pan over high heat. Add the garlic and gin- ger, cooking until fragrant. Add the pork strips and cook, tossing fre- quently,untilcookedthrough.Stir in the hoisin sauce, lathering the pork generously. Remove from heat. 5. Servethespringonionpancakes topped with the hoisin pork, carrot, green capsicum, chilli and corian- der.
For more pork recipes, visit pork.com.au
Page 14 – Australian Pork Newspaper, February 2019
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