Monday, April 8, 2013

Russia bans most Canadian beef and pork




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."