September 21, 2020
Another Arkansas, US plant banned from exporting poultry to China
China has banned imports from a US poultry plant following COVID-19 cases reported at the facility -- the second such action by the Chinese government since June.
Based in Fort Smith, Arkansas, the facility is under the ownership of OK Foods and had 234 of its employees infected with the coronavirus from last March through August 31, according to the Arkansas Department of Health. Prior to its ban, a Tyson Foods plant in Springdale -- also in Arkansas -- was suspended from exporting poultry to China.
"We don't think that either one of these two [bans] are justified, especially considering the fact that the virus cannot be transmitted in poultry meat," said Jim Sumner, president of the USA Poultry & Egg Export Council.
Imports from the OK Foods, which is owned by Mexico's Industrias Bachoco, were suspended by GACC, China's customers authority. According to USDA, the Arkansas plant became ineligible to ship products to China on September 13.
The suspension was included on a list of recent changes to approved meat imports published on September 15 on the website of China's General Administration of Customs.
- Food Safety News