RUSSIAN VET SERVICE DELISTS ANOTHER

UNCLAS MOSCOW 003368 SENSITIVE SIPDIS USDA FAS FOR OCRA/KUYPERS; OSTA/HAMILTON, BEAN PASS FSIS/JONES, DUTROW PASS APHIS/MITCHELL STATE FOR EUR/RUS, EB/ATP/SINGER STATE PASS USTR FOR CHATTIN BRUSSELS PASS APHIS/FERNANDEZ VIENNA PASS APHIS/TANAKA GENEVA FOR USTR E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAGR ETRD TBIO WTO RS SUBJECT: RUSSIAN VET SERVICE DELISTS ANOTHER U.S. POULTRY PLANT AND A U.S. PORK PLANT SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: The Russian Federal Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance Service (VPSS) informed via official letter on November 14, 2008, that another U.S. poultry plant (P-13556) and pork plant (#17564) will be delisted as of November 24, 2008. According to the VPSS letter, routine tests revealed the presence of tetracycline in a shipment of chicken quarters and salmonella in a shipment of boneless pork jowls from these plants. The letter requests that the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) conduct an investigation into how product contaminated with residue and salmonella found their way into shipments to Russia. The original scanned copy of the VPSS letter and courtesy translation were sent to FSIS on November 16, ¶2008. An informal embassy translation of the letter follows. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (SBU) BEGIN TEXT: Moscow, November 14, 2008 Mr. William James, the Deputy Administrator of the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) Dear Mr. James, The Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance extends its respect to the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS),USDA. Antibiotic tetracycline was detected in a shipment of chicken quarters imported from the U.S. to the Russian Federation during monitoring tests of the residues of prohibited and harmful substances (lab test results #2408 of October 22, 2008). The product was manufactured at the U.S. establishment #P-13556 (veterinary certificates #RFA-049567, RFA- 049490 of August 29, 2008). Salmonella was found in a shipment of boneless pork (jowl) (lab results #8777/B-6730 of October 21, 2008; #9111/B-6989 of October 29, 2008). The product was manufactured at the U.S. establishment #17564 (veterinary certificate # RFP-079549 of August 11, 2008). The cases mentioned above constitute the violations of requirements of the negotiated veterinary certificate for export of poultry and pork to the Russian Federation. In this connection, VPSS informs you about imposing temporary restrictions on the import of products from the mentioned establishments to the Russian Federation that come in force on November 24, 2008 and asks you to conduct an investigation to reveal causes of the presence of the medicinal residuals and Salmonella in veterinary products. VPSS asks you to take measures for preventing the shipments of products to the Russian Federation that do not comply with the requirements of the Russian Federation and the negotiated veterinary certificates. Please inform VPSS about the results of investigation and the preventative measures. Mr. James, let me assure you of my highest esteem, Attachment: (11-page attachment omitted). A.I. Saurin, Acting Head END TEXT. BEYRLE