Market Closure Update: Changes to Suspension Lists, Further Details on Transshipments...
Market Closure Update: Changes to Suspension Lists, Further Details on Transshipments
USMEF continues to monitor influenza-related market closures and confirm specific details on import bans and suspensions. A full list of official suspensions and a “watch list” of anticipated suspensions appears below. This list includes a number of changes that have emerged since it was issued earlier today
The import suspensions targeting pork and other meat products from specific states are giving rise to many questions regarding transshipments and official points of origin. Russia, for example, has suspended all non-heat-treated meat — regardless of the species of origin — from Texas, California, Kansas, New York, Ohio and Mexico. It has suspended non-heat-treated pork from Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Florida. Information obtained from Russia’s chief veterinarian suggests that meat that is temporarily stored in these states or transported through these states is still eligible for shipment to Russia. However, USMEF is seeking further written documentation of this policy and advises exporters to proceed with caution when shipping products in this category.
With regard to China, which has suspended all pork and pork product imports from Texas, Kansas, New York, Ohio and California — transshipments through these states are also ineligible for shipment to China as of April 27.
In an effort to minimize the scope and length of these import suspensions, USMEF continues to provide product safety information to public health and trade officials in international markets, as well as importers, retailers and other trade representatives, and international media.
Further information will be posted at www.usmef.org as it becomes available. In the meantime, members may contact USMEF at 303-623-6328 with any questions regarding market closures. Please bear in mind that a large portion of the market closure information is still unconfirmed and unofficial, even though it may be appearing in news reports.
Official import suspensions:
China, effective April 26:
Suspension of all pork and pork product imports from California, Texas, Kansas, New York and Ohio, as well as Mexico. Transshipments through these states are also ineligible for shipment to China as of April 27.
Croatia, effective date TBA:
Suspended imports of pork and live swine from North America and South America.
Honduras, effective April 24:
Suspension of all fresh pork products from the United States and Mexico. Cooked and processed pork meat allowed if cooked to 68ºC for 30 minutes or 71ºC for 3 minutes.
Indonesia, effective date TBA:
Suspended imports of all pork and swine from outside its borders.
Kazakhstan, effective date April 28:
Suspended pork imports from Texas, California and Kansas, but is expected to extend this ban to other affected states as well.
Russia, effective April 21:
- Suspension of all non-heat-treated meat — regardless of the species of origin — from Texas, California, Kansas, New York, Ohio and Mexico.
- Suspension of non-heat-treated pork from Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Florida, as well as from the countries of Guatemala, Honduras, Dominican Republic, Columbia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Nicaragua, Panama and El Salvador.
Additional notes:
- Documents from Russia define "heat-treated" as "80ºC for at least 30 minutes."
- Effective April 26, Russia also banned "passenger baggage" and catering materials from all species including heat-treated products from the states of Texas, California, Ohio, New York, and Kansas. This ban is for passengers luggage and in-flight catering of aerial vehicles and sea vessels arriving from (or those that visited or landed in airports in) these states.
St. Lucia, effective date April 27:
Suspended import of fresh and frozen pork, live pigs and swine semen.
Thailand, effective April 27:
Suspension covers all U.S. states and Mexico, and covers all products including meat (fresh, chilled, and frozen), offals, live animal, semen, embryos, and hides and skins. However, the ban does not cover processed pork products such as canned foods or food in sealed containers. Product already on the water should not be affected, but any product shipped after April 27 will not be allowed entry.
Ukraine, effective date April 21:
Suspended import of pork, live pigs and products from the entire United States.
Other products of animal origin can be imported under existing regulations if these are accompanied by valid health certificates.
United Arab Emirates, effective date TBA:
Suspended pork from several countries, including the United States. It remains unclear whether transshipments will be allowed.
“Watch list” of countries that have been reported as ready to impose full or partial suspensions:
Albania: some importers have refused pork shipments in anticipation of a ban.
Bahrain: pork from the United States.
Dominican Republic: pork and live pigs from the United States.
Ecuador: pork and live pigs from the United States and Mexico.
El Salvador: pork and live pigs from the United States and Mexico.
Guana: pork and pork products from the United States and Mexico.
Jordan: all meat from the United States and Mexico.
Kurdistan Region, Iraq: import of U.S. pork.
Lebanon: all pork and live pigs from outside its borders.
Nicaragua: pork and live pigs from the United States.
Philippines: all pork from the entire United States and Mexico.
Serbia: import of all U.S. pork meat. There does not appear to be an exemption for heat-treated products.
Additional procedural notes:
South Korea: Korea has issued no trade suspensions for pork imports, but has increased screening and inspection of pork from the United States and Mexico, and has suspended imports only of live swine from North America.
Costa Rica: increased monitoring of pork imports, but no suspension of U.S. products.
# # #
The U.S. Meat Export Federation (www.USMEF.org) is the trade association responsible for developing international markets for the U.S. red meat industry and is funded by USDA, exporting companies, and the beef, pork, corn and soybean checkoff programs.
Market Closure Update: Changes to Suspension Lists, Further Details on Transshipments
USMEF continues to monitor influenza-related market closures and confirm specific details on import bans and suspensions. A full list of official suspensions and a “watch list” of anticipated suspensions appears below. This list includes a number of changes that have emerged since it was issued earlier today
The import suspensions targeting pork and other meat products from specific states are giving rise to many questions regarding transshipments and official points of origin. Russia, for example, has suspended all non-heat-treated meat — regardless of the species of origin — from Texas, California, Kansas, New York, Ohio and Mexico. It has suspended non-heat-treated pork from Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Florida. Information obtained from Russia’s chief veterinarian suggests that meat that is temporarily stored in these states or transported through these states is still eligible for shipment to Russia. However, USMEF is seeking further written documentation of this policy and advises exporters to proceed with caution when shipping products in this category.
With regard to China, which has suspended all pork and pork product imports from Texas, Kansas, New York, Ohio and California — transshipments through these states are also ineligible for shipment to China as of April 27.
In an effort to minimize the scope and length of these import suspensions, USMEF continues to provide product safety information to public health and trade officials in international markets, as well as importers, retailers and other trade representatives, and international media.
Further information will be posted at www.usmef.org as it becomes available. In the meantime, members may contact USMEF at 303-623-6328 with any questions regarding market closures. Please bear in mind that a large portion of the market closure information is still unconfirmed and unofficial, even though it may be appearing in news reports.
Official import suspensions:
China, effective April 26:
Suspension of all pork and pork product imports from California, Texas, Kansas, New York and Ohio, as well as Mexico. Transshipments through these states are also ineligible for shipment to China as of April 27.
Croatia, effective date TBA:
Suspended imports of pork and live swine from North America and South America.
Honduras, effective April 24:
Suspension of all fresh pork products from the United States and Mexico. Cooked and processed pork meat allowed if cooked to 68ºC for 30 minutes or 71ºC for 3 minutes.
Indonesia, effective date TBA:
Suspended imports of all pork and swine from outside its borders.
Kazakhstan, effective date April 28:
Suspended pork imports from Texas, California and Kansas, but is expected to extend this ban to other affected states as well.
Russia, effective April 21:
- Suspension of all non-heat-treated meat — regardless of the species of origin — from Texas, California, Kansas, New York, Ohio and Mexico.
- Suspension of non-heat-treated pork from Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Florida, as well as from the countries of Guatemala, Honduras, Dominican Republic, Columbia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Nicaragua, Panama and El Salvador.
Additional notes:
- Documents from Russia define "heat-treated" as "80ºC for at least 30 minutes."
- Effective April 26, Russia also banned "passenger baggage" and catering materials from all species including heat-treated products from the states of Texas, California, Ohio, New York, and Kansas. This ban is for passengers luggage and in-flight catering of aerial vehicles and sea vessels arriving from (or those that visited or landed in airports in) these states.
St. Lucia, effective date April 27:
Suspended import of fresh and frozen pork, live pigs and swine semen.
Thailand, effective April 27:
Suspension covers all U.S. states and Mexico, and covers all products including meat (fresh, chilled, and frozen), offals, live animal, semen, embryos, and hides and skins. However, the ban does not cover processed pork products such as canned foods or food in sealed containers. Product already on the water should not be affected, but any product shipped after April 27 will not be allowed entry.
Ukraine, effective date April 21:
Suspended import of pork, live pigs and products from the entire United States.
Other products of animal origin can be imported under existing regulations if these are accompanied by valid health certificates.
United Arab Emirates, effective date TBA:
Suspended pork from several countries, including the United States. It remains unclear whether transshipments will be allowed.
“Watch list” of countries that have been reported as ready to impose full or partial suspensions:
Albania: some importers have refused pork shipments in anticipation of a ban.
Bahrain: pork from the United States.
Dominican Republic: pork and live pigs from the United States.
Ecuador: pork and live pigs from the United States and Mexico.
El Salvador: pork and live pigs from the United States and Mexico.
Guana: pork and pork products from the United States and Mexico.
Jordan: all meat from the United States and Mexico.
Kurdistan Region, Iraq: import of U.S. pork.
Lebanon: all pork and live pigs from outside its borders.
Nicaragua: pork and live pigs from the United States.
Philippines: all pork from the entire United States and Mexico.
Serbia: import of all U.S. pork meat. There does not appear to be an exemption for heat-treated products.
Additional procedural notes:
South Korea: Korea has issued no trade suspensions for pork imports, but has increased screening and inspection of pork from the United States and Mexico, and has suspended imports only of live swine from North America.
Costa Rica: increased monitoring of pork imports, but no suspension of U.S. products.
# # #
The U.S. Meat Export Federation (www.USMEF.org) is the trade association responsible for developing international markets for the U.S. red meat industry and is funded by USDA, exporting companies, and the beef, pork, corn and soybean checkoff programs.