Agricultural representatives from Taiwan have threatened a large scale protest if the country lifts its ban on pork produced with the feed additive ractopamine. The threat was prompted by a statement from a Taiwanese ag official who said the county can’t shut its doors to ractopamine fed imports forever in the face of globalization. National Pork Producer Council’s Vice President for Government Affairs Nick Giordano says ractopamine has been proven to be safe.

He says Taiwan’s new President even supports allowing pork imports produced with ractopamine.

Giordano says his group will continue working with Taiwanese officials to lift the trade barrier to U.S. pork imports, as it is not science based.

Giordano says whatever products or production methods pork producers want to use should be their choice, but if it impacts trade it need to follow science based rules.