Russia made a move today that bans virtually all beef and
pork from Canada based on permission here for farmers to use Paylean and Optaflexx
as dietary growth promotants.
Russia earlier banned meat from hogs fed Paylean and cattle
fed Optaflexx, but beginning today said it won’t take meat from any packing plant
that slaughters animals that have been raised on rations containing the
Elanco-company products.
Russia also took the same measure against imports from
Mexico.
"Our government is
disappointed that despite our collaborative efforts, the Russian
government is moving forward with this measure not rooted in
science," Canada's Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz said in an
email statement to Reuters news agency.
"We continue to work
aggressively with Canadian industry to restore their access into the important
Russian market."
Russia was fast becoming a
major market for Canadian beef, worth about C$15 million in 2011.
Jacques Parmaleau of
Canada Pork International said it’s Canada’s third-largest market worth about
C$500 million a year
Canada has about a dozen
pork-processing plants that only accept ractopamine-free pigs, but there is no
guarantee that Russia will include all of them on its revised supplier list,
Pomerleau said.
Canada's two biggest pork
processors, Olymel and Maple Leaf Foods, have some facilities that should be
eligible, Pomerleau said.
"We're working very
hard to meet Russia's expectations," said Olymel spokesman Richard
Vigneault. "It's a very important market for us."
