20 March 2009
Russia has suspended imports from three U.S. poultry processing plants due to drug residue findings, possibly from antibiotics or anti-parasitics.
Effective March 27, the following facilities are ineligible to export to Russia: Tyson Foods' plant in Cumming, Ga.; Peco Foods' plant in Canton, Miss.; and Sanderson Farms' plant in Hammond, La.
In August 2008, Russia banned imports from 19 U.S. poultry plants, saying the facilities did not meet previously agreed upon standards.
Russia imported more than 1.8 billion pounds of chicken from the United States last year, followed by mainland China at 733.9 million pounds, according to USDA’s economic research service.