CHICAGO – A plane carrying Dr. Mike Lemmon’s pedigreed pigs, each worth between $2,500 and $5,000, was scheduled to depart from St. Louis to Hangzhou, China, in April. Instead, after a last-minute order cancellation, many of the pigs ended up at a local Indiana slaughterhouse, sold for under $200 each.
The cancellation came just days after China imposed retaliatory tariffs on U.S. agricultural goods in response to trade measures enacted by the Trump administration. The move abruptly disrupted a $2.4 million livestock deal Lemmon had spent over a year finalizing.
China has historically been a top buyer of U.S. breeding pigs and livestock genetics, such as cattle semen. These high-value, niche exports had been thriving—until the trade conflict halted nearly all shipments.
Although the U.S. and China recently agreed to pause tariffs, American farmers and exporters say the damage may already be irreversible.
“We’ve got brand damage now,” said Tony Clayton, owner of Clayton Agri-Marketing, a Missouri-based exporter. “Clients ask every week what’s going on with the U.S. I don’t know how we can put this back together.”
The White House maintains it is seeking new trade opportunities. “The administration is working around the clock to secure billions of dollars in additional opportunities with other trading partners,” said spokesperson Kush Desai.
But producers remain concerned that foreign buyers—especially China—will increasingly turn to competitors like Denmark for livestock supplies.
Breeding pigs represent a specialized sector within the $37 billion U.S. hog industry. These animals are selectively bred for traits such as large litters and high-fat content, which contribute to flavorful, marbled pork.
Lemmon, a veterinarian and breeder with over 30 years of global experience, said the recent setback has been “devastating,” though he remains committed to the business and is working to revive the Chinese deal during the current tariff pause.
China, home to roughly half the world’s pig population, has imported large numbers of U.S. breeding pigs since an African swine fever outbreak in 2018 decimated its domestic herds.
Shipping live animals is a complex and costly process, requiring on-board attendants to monitor animal health and comfort throughout long flights. Attendants often sleep beside the animals in the cargo hold and interact with flight crews during downtime.
The trade war has also halted exports of U.S. cattle semen, once a major commodity for China’s dairy industry. Jay Weiker, president of the National Association of Animal Breeders, said China had been importing one-quarter of U.S. cattle semen to improve dairy cow genetics following a 2008 milk contamination scandal that left six children dead and sickened hundreds of thousands.
“Not one unit of semen is going to China right now,” Weiker said.
Other livestock sectors have also been hit. Brittany Scott, owner of SMART Reproduction Services in Arkansas, said canceled orders have left tanks of frozen sheep and goat semen sitting in storage.
“They’re eager to do their jobs,” Scott said of her livestock. “They understand the assignment and they do really well.” But, she added, selling the product has become significantly harder.
Scott described the lost sales as “a punch in the gut.”
While the tariff pause offers a brief window for negotiation, many in the livestock export business fear the reputational and financial damage will be lasting.
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