Export Promotion
Increases Employment in U.S. Poultry Industry
Impact on U.S. Economy
U.S. poultry is a $22 billion-plus per year industry that
directly employs about 240,000 workers. Rising export
demand has resulted in a 63-percent direct employment
growth in poultry processing between 1985 through 1996.
Benefits to rural economy are expected to be even greater
with research indicating that poultry industry through
multiplier effect contribute five times their dollar
value to local, regional, and national economies by
creating jobs, increasing tax revenues, and stimulating
economic activity.
Since 1985, U.S. exports of poultry meat have increased
by over 10-fold to an estimated 2.5 million tons, valued
at U.S.$ 2.6 billion, for the calendar year 1997. While
exports accounted for 3 percent of total production in
1985, exports currently account for 17 percent of total
U.S. poultry production.
Between 1986-1997, FAS has provided the U.S. poultry
industry with about U.S.$ 60 million in Foreign Market
Development (FMD), Market Access Program (MAP) and the
former Market Promotion Program (MPP) and Targeted Export
Access (TEA) program funds to promote exports of U.S.
poultry and products. FAS funded market development and
promotion activities have been successful in making the
U.S. the major supplier to two of the world's leading
markets for poultry meat, Russia and China/Hong Kong.
Increased export to Russia and China/Hong Kong, together
with market expansion in other countries, has enabled the
United States to capture nearly 45 percent of global
trade in poultry meat, compared with 15 percent in 1986.
The value of U.S. poultry exports have grown from US$ 319
million in 1986 to an estimated US$ 2.6 billion for 1997.
USAPEEC Key Strategies
The USA Poultry & Egg Export Council (USAPEEC)
conducts generic and branded activities worldwide. The
program includes: market research, U.S. plant visits,
trade teams, trade shows, seminars and publications and
consumer-targeted activities such as advertising, product
demonstrations and in-store displays. The message is that
U.S. poultry and products are wholesome, of good quality,
flavorful and convenient. Generic activities strive to
raise consumption of poultry and products and increase
awareness of U.S. product attributes.
USAPEEC's programs have helped to convey a variety of
information, such as, the use of chicken leg quarters in
further processing industry in China, the benefits of
proper handling of poultry meat products in the
Philippines, and the various uses of egg products for the
HRI sector in Mexico.
Because of uncertainty about the future of the European
Union as a market and the inherent volatility of two
major markets in Russia and China/Hong Kong (which
together account for 65 percent of total U.S. poultry
exports) USAPEEC is currently focusing on penetrating new
markets. Accordingly, basic market research and trade
missions are planned for emerging markets in Central
Asia, Africa and the ASEAN region.
Industry Contributions
The U.S. poultry, egg and affiliated industries have made
significant investments in export marketing programs.
U.S. industry contributions in cash, goods and services
have totaled US$ 29 million from 1986 to 1997. The
industry's commitments toward promoting exports is
demonstrated by a proposed US$ 2.8 million in industry
cash contributions for 1998.
