Russia Remains Urgent Priority for Trade Officials, USMEF

Russia Remains Urgent Priority for Trade Officials, USMEF

Russia remains a key area of focus for both U.S. government officials and USMEF for U.S. pork exports. U.S. Trade Representative Ronald Kirk and Michael Michener, administrator of the USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service, are currently en route to Russia to participate in the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum that starts Thursday, and are expected to engage officials there regarding obstacles to exports.

Meanwhile, USMEF staff in Moscow and St. Petersburg report that they are being assured by officials in Russia that the market remains open to U.S. pork. They remain in daily contact with their Russian counterparts.

The most current message USMEF-Moscow has received from Russian officials is that the Russian veterinary service is still accepting the current U.S. health certificate with shipments of U.S. pork.

“This situation is very fluid,” said Paul Clayton, USMEF senior vice president of Export Services. “We will provide daily updates from our team in Russia as we become aware of changes.”

Clayton also recommends that U.S. firms request regular updates from Russian importers on changing conditions, and asked that they share those updates with USMEF so that we can provide that information to our broader membership.

There are almost daily changes in Russia’s list of states affected by the A-H1N1 flu virus. The most recent updates are as follows:

Russia is now limiting its suspension of U.S. meat imports from Arizona and California to include uncooked pork products only, effective June 2. Previously, imports of beef and poultry from these states were also suspended, but those products are now only ineligible if they were slaughtered or packaged between the following dates:

Arizona:            May 14 through June 2

California:          April 26 through June 2.

This leaves Illinois, Texas, Washington and Wisconsin as the only states for which Russia’s suspensions extend to meat other than pork. Suspensions of pork imports still apply to Arizona, California, Florida, Massachusetts, Michigan and New York. Russia’s restrictions on meat imports from Delaware and South Carolina have been lifted except for meat slaughtered or packaged on certain dates between May 3 and May 14.

Specific dates and details for each of these suspensions can be found online.

# # #

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.

Russia Remains Urgent Priority for Trade Officials, USMEF

Russia remains a key area of focus for both U.S. government officials and USMEF for U.S. pork exports. U.S. Trade Representative Ronald Kirk and Michael Michener, administrator of the USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service, are currently en route to Russia to participate in the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum that starts Thursday, and are expected to engage officials there regarding obstacles to exports.

Meanwhile, USMEF staff in Moscow and St. Petersburg report that they are being assured by officials in Russia that the market remains open to U.S. pork. They remain in daily contact with their Russian counterparts.

The most current message USMEF-Moscow has received from Russian officials is that the Russian veterinary service is still accepting the current U.S. health certificate with shipments of U.S. pork.

“This situation is very fluid,” said Paul Clayton, USMEF senior vice president of Export Services. “We will provide daily updates from our team in Russia as we become aware of changes.”

Clayton also recommends that U.S. firms request regular updates from Russian importers on changing conditions, and asked that they share those updates with USMEF so that we can provide that information to our broader membership.

There are almost daily changes in Russia’s list of states affected by the A-H1N1 flu virus. The most recent updates are as follows:

Russia is now limiting its suspension of U.S. meat imports from Arizona and California to include uncooked pork products only, effective June 2. Previously, imports of beef and poultry from these states were also suspended, but those products are now only ineligible if they were slaughtered or packaged between the following dates:

Arizona:            May 14 through June 2

California:          April 26 through June 2.

This leaves Illinois, Texas, Washington and Wisconsin as the only states for which Russia’s suspensions extend to meat other than pork. Suspensions of pork imports still apply to Arizona, California, Florida, Massachusetts, Michigan and New York. Russia’s restrictions on meat imports from Delaware and South Carolina have been lifted except for meat slaughtered or packaged on certain dates between May 3 and May 14.

Specific dates and details for each of these suspensions can be found online.

# # #

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.