May 5, 2009

For the time being the US is not banning Canadian pigs after it was "tentatively confirmed" that some have contracted the virulent swine flu, or A/H1N1, that has killed and sickened humans, according to the US Department of Agriculture.

The discovery over the weekend that the A/H1N1 flu had, for the first time, been discovered in swine won't disrupt trade, USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack said, but he also said he's waiting to see the results of more tests.

Vilsack said in a prepared statement that "any trade restrictions must be based on science, so at this time, we are awaiting confirmatory test results before considering any action."

USDA spokeswoman Chris Mather said Monday it was not possible to rule out a trade disruption.

Just a few hours before the USDA acknowledged on Saturday that A/H1N1 had been discovered in Canadian pigs, Vilsack, Canadian Minister of Agriculture Gerry Ritz and Mexican Agriculture Secretary Alberto Cardenas put out a combined statement saying A/H1N1 had still not been found in swine anywhere.

The three NAFTA agricultural leaders also pleaded that pork importing countries not ban pork from Mexico, the US or Canada.

"We strongly urge the international community not to use the outbreak of the (A/H1N1) influenza as a reason to create unnecessary trade restrictions and that decisions be made based on sound scientific evidence," the three leaders said.

Japan, one major pork market for the US, is continuing to stay open, according to the US Trade Representative.

USTR Ron Kirk met with Japanese Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Toshihiro Nikai Monday. After the meeting, US spokespersons released a statement thanking Japan for "refraining from prohibiting imports of pork."

China, however, continues to widen its ban on US pork-producing states. China will no longer accept pork that was produced or even passed through Colorado, Delaware, Illinois, Kentucky, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Jersey, and Virginia, according to information maintained by USDA and updated Monday. Those states join the Chinese list including Arizona, Indiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, South Carolina, California, Kansas, New York, Ohio and Texas.