6-4 news: Pork industry still struggling with import bans, economy
The reduction in hog prices that has coincided with the H1N1 virus bans has cost U.S. pork producers about $81.5 million, according to the Associated Press. Dave Warner, a spokesman for the National Pork producers Council, notes that producers have had disagreements with China and Russia in the past. Russia is starting to allow some pork imports but maintains bans from products in 10 states.
"Both Russia and China, and all of these countries, know that this was not a food safety issue. So something else is going on there," Warner said. "It does seem like it's a kind of a convenient excuse."