RUSSIA THEATENS FODDER TRADE

UNCLAS MOSCOW 003760 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: RUSSIA THEATENS FODDER TRADE REF A) MOSCOW 3350 SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: The Russian Federal Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance Service (VPSS) raised the bar in requesting a list of U.S. fodder exporters to Russia in its December 26, 2008, letter by threatening to ban U.S. fodder exports if a list is not produced by January 1, ¶2009. The original scanned copy of the VPSS letter and courtesy translation were sent to USDA on December 29, 2008. An informal embassy translation of the letter follows. END SUMMARY. 2.(SBU) BEGIN TEXT: FEDERAL SERVICE FOR VETERENARY AND PHYTOSANITARY SURVEILLANCE Orlikov per., 1/11, 107139, Moscow 84, Russian Federation Phone: (7 499) 975-4347 Fax: (7 495) 607-5111 E-mail: info@svfk.mcx.ru http://www.fsvps.ru Moscow, December 26, 2008 No. FS-NV-2/13281 Dr. Robert Tanaka, Area Director for Eastern Europe, USDA-APHIS Dear Dr. Tanaka, The Federal Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance Service (VPSS) extends its regards to the Animal and Plant Inspection Service (APHIS),USDA in the EU, and informs you of the following. By its letters #FS-AS-2/11553 of November 14, 2008, and FS-NV-2/12384 dated December 5, 2008, VPSS informed about the necessity for providing lists of the U.S. processing fodder and fodder additives facilities that previously exported their products to the Russian Federation and currently have contracts with the Russian partners for shipping such products, and as well as guarantees that these facilities are under permanent control of the U.S. veterinary service and that they will fulfill in the full scale Russian veterinary-sanitary requirements and norms. However, to date the U.S. side has not provided to VPSS the above mentioned lists of the U.S. establishments. This circumstance will create a serious barrier to trade of fodder between our countries since VPSS will not be able to issue import permits for shipments of fodder for 2009 from the U.S. to the Russian Federation until the mentioned materials have been provided. Please accept, Mr. Tanaka, assurances of my deep respect for you. Deputy Head Vlasov END TEXT. ¶3. (SBU) Comment. Since November, VPSS has been aggressive in demanding lists for both fish and fodder. In the case of fish, the United States explained that it does not maintain exporter lists but agreed to verify a list provided by the Russians. This action, coupled with an invitation to inspect U.S. fish facilities averted a ban on U.S. fish. USDA may want to consider a similar approach and offer to verify a Russian list contingent on a method for adding additional exporters to such a list. VPSS maintains that the list approach is necessary to control fraudulent export certification. End Comment. BEYRLE