Russia approves almost all US poultry plants for export

All but one of 26 US poultry and slaughter plants have been cleared by Russian officials to ship poultry to Moscow.

A USDA spokesman did not release the name of the facility that has yet to be approved, when that would occur or if the approval of this plant would mean the ban has been fully lifted.

Russia was the largest export market for US chicken before a ban was put in place in January. The ban was enforced because Russian officials were concerned about a chlorine rinse used in US processing plants to kill pathogens that can cause food poisoning.

Under the new requirements approved in July, US chicken companies can replace the chlorinated rinse with cetylpyridinium chloride, peroxyacetic acid or hydrogen peroxide.

Poultry producer Sanderson Farms Inc resumed exports to Russia in August, with Tyson Foods and Pilgrim’s Pride following shortly after.