April 22, 2013

Russia's ban on ractopamine reduces number approved of Canadian meat suppliers

Russia's plans to suspend imports of meat from livestock fed with ractopamine may reduce the number of approved Canadian suppliers to 14 pork packing plants, four beef plants and one facility which processes both meats.

Rosselkhoznadzor, Russia's federal veterinary and phytosanitary service, said that it had informed Dr Louise Carriere, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency's director for international market access in Ottawa, of its decision.

The remaining approved plants will continue to be eligible for exports as long as CFIA certifies them "solely and exclusively for products manufactured without the use of the growth stimulator, ractopamine."

Rosselkhoznadzor's new list of "temporary restrictions" will suspend exports from major Canadian packers such as Cargill's beef slaughter plants at High River, Alberta, and Guelph, Ontario. Other facilities also include a JBS' beef slaughter plant at Brooks, Alberta, and a Maple Leaf Foods' hog slaughter facility at Brandon, Manitoba.

Rosselkhoznadzor's deputy chief Yevgeny Nepoklonov said that the service will "carefully consider" Canada's proposals for "improvement of the system of separate production of ractopamine-free meat products" for export to the Customs Union (CU) countries of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan.

Inspections of plants interested in exporting to the CU counties "may be arranged at the end of May-beginning of June 2013," Rosselkhoznadzor said.