RUSSIA-9 UNITED STATES MEAT PLANTS BANNED FROM EXPORTING TO RUSSIA.
Russia has suspended pork imports from nine U.S. pork processing plants and cold storage facilities, including some owned by Smithfield Foods, its Farmland Foods unit and Cargill Meat Solutions, according to USDA.
USDA spokeswoman Amanda Eamich said the plants were suspended due to export certificate errors.
Codex international food standards suggest governments coordinate in these situations so that corrected certificates can be reissued. Russia, however, does not accept such replacement certificates, said Eamich. "We are working with the Russians to resolve this issue."
Certificates can be signed for pork originating from these establishments through Feb. 9, but the product must also be loaded on a ship by that date. Effective Feb. 10, the following establishments are ineligible to export to the Russia:
Smithfield Packing plant in Tar Heel, N.C.
Farmland Foods plant in Milan, Mo.
Farmland Distribution in Crete, Neb.
Cargill Meat Solutions plant in Beardstown, Ill.
Cargill Meat Solutions plant in Ottumwa, Iowa
Cloverleaf Cold Storage in Cherokee, Iowa
Carolina Cold Storage in Tar Heel, N.C.
Millard Refrigerated Services in Edwardsville, Kan.
Berkshire Refrigerated Warehouse in Chicago
One Wall Street analyst called the suspensions, "Not good, but not a big deal," noting that less than 10 percent of U.S. pork exports went to Russia last year.
