Some US pork plants approved for sale to Russia

Ten US pork producing plants have now been approved to ship product to Russia, according to the USDA.

The list of newly eligible plants comes shortly after Russia agreed to a deal that lifts what was essentially a ban on US pork.

Under new trade rules agreed to by Russian and US negotiators earlier this month US pork producers are required to prove their pork is free of antibiotics that Russia has prohibited.

The newly approved US plants include facilities owned by Smithfield Foods Inc. (SFD), Tyson Foods Inc. (TSN), John Morrell & Co., Farmland Foods, Inc. and Seaboard Foods (SEB). John Morrell and Farmland Foods are Smithfield brands.

Nick Giordano, vice president and counsel for international affairs with the National Pork Producers Council, said in a recent interview that he expects US pork shipments to Russia to begin soon.

Giordano also predicted the US 2010 pork quota of approximately 50,000 tonnes to Russia will be filled and that additional pork may be shipped as well at a 75% tariff rate.