Russia-The pork market.

UNITES STATES-PORK MARKET IN RUSSIA.

The National Pork Producers Council is working with USDA and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative to resolve Russia’s restrictions on U.S. pork exports.

In recent weeks, Russia has implemented a series of sanitary-phytosanitary restrictions that have slowed or halted U.S. pork sales. Russia has de-listed 33 U.S. pork slaughter, processing and cold storage facilities so they cannot export product to Russia. This represents 45 percent to 50 percent of U.S. pork production capacity.

NPPC officials point to the bilateral meat agreement that went into effect in 2005 and provides the United States with a country-specific quota, as having boosted U.S. pork exports to Russia. Last year, the United States exported 218,000 metric tons of pork to Russia valued at $476 million. That makes Russia the United States’ fourth largest pork export market.

NPPC officials are working to get all facilities re-listed and to eliminate all non-science based restrictions, as they contend the current situation reflects.