Pilgrim’s Pride resume exports to Russia

Pilgrim’s Pride said it has received formal approval from the US Department of Agriculture to resume exporting chicken products to Russia.

The poultry company said USDA has approved exports to Russia from Pilgrim’s processing facilities in Boaz, Ala., Russellville, Ala., and Dallas, Texas. The Alabama plants already have begun packing product for Russia and Pilgrim’s Pride said it expects to resume shipments shortly. The Dallas plant very recently resumed production.

Earlier this month, Russian officials signed a formal poultry agreement with the US outlining new processing requirements for domestic chicken that is to be exported to Russia. Earlier this year, Russia had banned all US chicken that had been processed with chlorinated water. Under the new requirements approved recently, US chicken companies can replace the chlorinated rinse with cetylpyridinium chloride, peroxyacetic acid or hydrogen peroxide. Pilgrim’s plants in Boaz and Russellville were converted to peroxyacetic acid earlier in 2010.

The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has compiled a new approved list for Russia that was sent to the Russian government last Friday that is based on the Russian-approved list that was in effect December 31, 2009. As soon as companies appear on the new FSIS list, they are eligible to begin shipping to Russia immediately.

Source: PR Newswire