DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa's 2010 pork exports have set a record that will be even higher when December figures come in.
The state says in a news release that pork producers exported more than $1 billion worth of pork products in the first 11 months of last year.
Iowa Department of Economic Development spokeswoman Kay Snyder said Wednesday that the previous record was set in 2008, also just over $1 billion. According to department data, the 2010 figure in only 11 months is about $3 million higher than for all of 2008.
Snyder said she couldn't immediately say whether the export volume also was higher for 2010 or whether the record is due in part to higher export prices.
The top export customer is Japan, which takes almost 44 percent of Iowa's total.
