Boosting U.S. pork trade with Tokyo mission

OK pork’s Matti Carlile enhances U.S.-Japan Agri ties

Matti Carlile from the Oklahoma Pork Board recently traveled to Tokyo as part of a trade mission led by the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF). This initiative aimed to promote U.S. agricultural products, specifically pork, and strengthen trade relations with Japan.

Throughout her stay, Carlile visited several retail and food service outlets to observe and learn from the local market dynamics.

A significant highlight was her experience at a brunch where the featured dish, Tonkatsu, was made entirely with U.S. pork, proudly supported by Oklahoma’s Seaboard corporation.

Carlile noted the importance of freshness in Japanese meat consumption, contrasting it with U.S. shopping habits and sparking ideas for potential improvements in U.S. markets.

The mission was punctuated by a large seminar, illustrating the depth of the U.S.-Japan relationship in terms of pork consumption, which remains the most consumed red meat in Japan. This seminar, attended by over 400 individuals, was not only a platform for fostering existing relationships but also a testament to the demand for U.S. pork in Japan.

This trade mission served as a crucial step in furthering international trade relations and highlighted the global importance of U.S. pork within agricultural exports.