The East and Gulf Coast port strikes were officially suspended on Thursday, October 3, with the International Longshoremen’s Association returning to work on Friday morning. A tentative deal was reached with the United States Maritime Alliance to extend the contract until January 15, 2025. With a tentative deal on wages, the two sides can work on resolving the other outstanding issues.

The U.S. Meat Export Federation applauded the deal. East and Gulf Coast ports handle nearly $100 million in weekly beef and pork products. The International Dairy Foods Association added that although the strike lasted three days, it would take weeks to clear the backlog caused by the strike.

International Dairy Food Association members had been re-routing and front-loading shipments since early September due to concerns over the strike. They are urging the government to remain involved in negotiations to avoid similar disruptions in the new year.

Read more about the impact of the port strike here.