U.S., Russia Reach Agreement to Resume Pork Exports
U.S., Russia Reach Agreement to Resume Pork Exports
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that the United States and Russia have reached an agreement to reopen the Russian market to U.S. pork and pork products.
"Exports are extremely important to the U.S. pork industry," Vilsack said. "Reopening the market with Russia - our fifth-largest market last year - is excellent news for American hog producers."
The U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative have been in negotiations with the Russian Veterinary Service since December 2009 when Russia notified USDA of its intent to restrict pork shipments from 13 U.S. pork plants, which, together with other plants already delisted earlier in 2009, accounted for more than 90 percent of U.S. pork exports to Russia. According to the USDA, these negotiations led to the development of a new veterinary certificate to ensure that pork exports from the United States meet specific Russian microbiological and tetracycline-group antibiotic residue requirements.
The next step is for U.S. plants that want to export to Russia to apply for approval with the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS). AMS, in collaboration with the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), has developed an Export Verification (EV) program for pork to Russia to address specific product requirements.
Export Verification programs are designed to facilitate the marketing and the export of U.S. products. Companies wishing to participate in USDA's EV Programs must meet the specified product requirements through a USDA Quality System Assessment (QSA) Program. The QSA Program ensures that the specified product requirements are supported by a documented quality management system. Products produced under an approved EV Program are eligible to be issued an FSIS Export certificate. AMS is expected to approve the first plants as early as next week. FSIS will then provide Russian authorities with a list of approved U.S. pork facilities.
“USMEF thanks USDA for working closely with the industry to resolve this issue, and we look forward to the resumption of pork shipments from delisted plants as soon as possible,” said Thad Lively, USMEF senior vice president of trade access.”
The U.S. exported more than 22 percent of its pork production in 2009. Russia imported 139,387 metric tons (307.3 million pounds) of U.S. pork muscle cuts and variety meat valued at $289.3 million in 2009, a sharp decline from 2008 exports of 217,767 metric tons (480 million pounds) valued at $476 million.
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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.
For more information, contact Jim Herlihy at jherlihy@usmef.org.
USMEF complies with all equal opportunity, non-discrimination and affirmative action measures applicable to it by contract, government rule or regulation or as otherwise provided by law.
U.S., Russia Reach Agreement to Resume Pork Exports
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that the United States and Russia have reached an agreement to reopen the Russian market to U.S. pork and pork products.
"Exports are extremely important to the U.S. pork industry," Vilsack said. "Reopening the market with Russia - our fifth-largest market last year - is excellent news for American hog producers."
The U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative have been in negotiations with the Russian Veterinary Service since December 2009 when Russia notified USDA of its intent to restrict pork shipments from 13 U.S. pork plants, which, together with other plants already delisted earlier in 2009, accounted for more than 90 percent of U.S. pork exports to Russia. According to the USDA, these negotiations led to the development of a new veterinary certificate to ensure that pork exports from the United States meet specific Russian microbiological and tetracycline-group antibiotic residue requirements.
The next step is for U.S. plants that want to export to Russia to apply for approval with the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS). AMS, in collaboration with the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), has developed an Export Verification (EV) program for pork to Russia to address specific product requirements.
Export Verification programs are designed to facilitate the marketing and the export of U.S. products. Companies wishing to participate in USDA's EV Programs must meet the specified product requirements through a USDA Quality System Assessment (QSA) Program. The QSA Program ensures that the specified product requirements are supported by a documented quality management system. Products produced under an approved EV Program are eligible to be issued an FSIS Export certificate. AMS is expected to approve the first plants as early as next week. FSIS will then provide Russian authorities with a list of approved U.S. pork facilities.
“USMEF thanks USDA for working closely with the industry to resolve this issue, and we look forward to the resumption of pork shipments from delisted plants as soon as possible,” said Thad Lively, USMEF senior vice president of trade access.”
The U.S. exported more than 22 percent of its pork production in 2009. Russia imported 139,387 metric tons (307.3 million pounds) of U.S. pork muscle cuts and variety meat valued at $289.3 million in 2009, a sharp decline from 2008 exports of 217,767 metric tons (480 million pounds) valued at $476 million.
# # #
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.
For more information, contact Jim Herlihy at jherlihy@usmef.org.
USMEF complies with all equal opportunity, non-discrimination and affirmative action measures applicable to it by contract, government rule or regulation or as otherwise provided by law.