September 26, 2006

Premium Standard Farms says its pork not banned by Russia

Premium Standard Farms has not been banned from shipping pork to Russia, a company official told Dow Jones Newswires Monday (Sep 25).

The firm's Milan, Missouri, plant "had originally been on the list of 'Slaughter Houses Approved for the Export of Pork to the Russian Federation for Retail Sale,' but since the plant had elected to stop trichina testing, it needed to be moved to the list for 'Slaughter Houses Approved for the Export of Pork for Further Processing to the Russian Federation,'" the official said.

Russia's food quality watchdog Rosselkhoznadzor said Friday it had banned the import of pork from Premium Standard Farms as of Sep 20.

Collette Schultz-Kaster, vice president of food safety and technical services at Premium Standard Farms, in an e-mailed comment said "this correction occurred as a result of a very positive tour of PSF's farms and plants where the Russian visitors had high praise for the plant's hygiene and employee practices".

"The list change is an administrative correction that is being done by FSTS and confirmed with Russia. No pork had been sent from this plant to retail sale at any time since trichina testing was halted, as PSF sales and operations were very aware of the plant's status."