A bipartisan group of 37 US Senators led by Sen. Thad Cochran and Sen. Mark Warner wrote to US Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue, calling for the swift reopening of the Chinese market after exports of US chicken and turkey to China were banned in 2015.

 

The National Turkey Federation, National Chicken Council, and USA Poultry and Egg Export Council expressed appreciation of the focus that US negotiators and the Trump administration have on next steps to officially reopen the Chinese market to chicken and turkey from the US as quickly as possible. 

 

"Poultry producers are pleased to see a third of the Senate... call for swift progress to end China's ban on US poultry," stated both the National Turkey Federation and National Chicken Council. 

 

"It is critical that we continue to develop an open trading relationship with the Chinese. The Senate's strong statement on behalf of American poultry products makes clear balance and fairness must exist for a two-way open market with China."

 

"We understand and are encouraged that China has begun its animal health audit of the US poultry industry," the Senators said in their letter to Perdue. "Once this audit is completed, we encourage USDA to remain diligent in seeking final Chinese approval for US poultry's first successful shipment as quickly as possible. Poultry products are often part of the Chinese New Year celebrations, and our farmers would very much like to be able to offer their products during that time."

 

At its peak, the value of poultry exports from the US to China was US$71 million for turkey and US$722 million for chicken. 

 

China maintains the ban against US poultry "in contradiction of World Health Organization for Animal Health (OIE) standards long after the 2015 detection of a single wild bird with Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza," the National Chicken Council stated in a press statement. 

 

The US is the largest poultry producer in the world and the second biggest poultry meat exporter, with nearly 18% of its product shipped to foreign markets.