MEAT AND POULTRY RESTRICTIONS UPDATE

UNCLAS MOSCOW 001206 SENSITIVE SIPDIS USDA FAS FOR OCRA/KUYPERS, RIKER; OSTA/BEAN, HAMILTON, HAXTON; ONA/TING, SALLYARDS PASS FSIS DUTROW, HARRIES PASS APHIS BURLESON STATE FOR EUR/RUS STATE PASS USTR FOR CHATTIN, HAFNER, MURPHY BRUSSELS PASS APHIS/FERNANDEZ VIENNA PASS APHIS/MITCHELL E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAGR ETRD ECON WTO RS SUBJECT: MEAT AND POULTRY RESTRICTIONS UPDATE (H1N1) REF: A) SMITH/MITCHELL EMAIL 05/12/09, B) MOSCOW 1187, C) MOSCOW 1161, D) MOSCOW 1150 SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: The Russian Federal Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance Service (VPSS) advised via official letters that restrictions placed on meat and poultry products from 11 U.S. states are currently in place. As of today, California, New York, Texas, Illinois, and Wisconsin are restricted from exporting all types of fresh/frozen meat (beef, pork, lamb, goat, horse, etc) and poultry products to Russia. In addition, temporarily restricts are still in place on all fresh/frozen pork and pork products from Arizona, Delaware, Massachusetts, Michigan, South Carolina and Washington. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (SBU) As of May 13, VPSS has placed restrictions on types of meat and poultry from 11 U.S. states. California, New York, Texas, Illinois, and Wisconsin are subject to "Zone 1" restrictions, meaning that they are restricted from exporting all types of fresh/frozen meat (beef, pork, lamb, goat, horse, etc) and poultry products to Russia as well as all processed meat and poultry products that have not been heat- treated at a minimum temperature of 80 degrees Celsius during not less then 30 minutes. Arizona, Delaware, Massachusetts, Michigan, South Carolina and Washington are subject to "Zone 2" restrictions, meaning that they are restricted from exporting all fresh/frozen pork and pork products to Russia as well as all processed pork products that have not been heat-treated at a minimum temperature of 80 degrees Celsius during not less then 30 minutes. The original scanned copies of the VPSS letters imposing these restrictions and courtesy translations were sent to FAS/APHIS on May 12, 2009 (REF A). An informal embassy translation of the letters follows. ¶3. (SBU) BEGIN TEXT OF LETTER DATED MAY 9: Moscow, May 9, 2009 FS-NV-2/4333 Regional Director USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) In the European Union Mr. Jay Mitchell The Federal Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance Service (VPSS) extends its regards to USDA/APHIS and informs you of the following. Due to the worsening epizootic/epidemiological situation regarding Influenza A/H1N1/California/04/2009 (H1N1) in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, VPSS has placed the state in Zone 1 - temporary restrictions on all types of fresh/frozen meat and poultry products, as well as on all processed meat and poultry products that have not been heat-treated at a minimum temperature of 80 degrees Celsius during not less then 30 minutes. The restriction covers all types of meat and poultry products manufactured and/or packaged after May 8, 2009. Due to the improving epizootic/epidemiological situation regarding H1N1 in the U.S. state of Delaware, VPSS has moved this state to Zone 2 - temporary restrictions are in place on fresh/frozen pork and pork products, as well as on all processed pork and pork products that have not been heat-treated at a minimum temperature of 80 degrees Celsius during not less then 30 minutes. The restriction covers all types of pork and pork products manufactured and/or packaged after May 8, 2009. Mr. Mitchell, let me assure you of my highest esteem. N.A. Vlasov Deputy Head END TEXT. ¶4. (SBU) BEGIN TEXT OF LETTER DATED MAY 10: Moscow, May 10, 2009 FS-NV-2/4335 Regional Director USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) In the European Union Mr. Jay Mitchell The Federal Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance Service (VPSS) extends its regards to USDA/APHIS and informs you of the following. Due to the worsening epizootic/ epidemiological situation regarding H1N1 in the in the U.S. states of Michigan and Washington, VPSS has placed these states in Zone 2 - temporary restrictions are in place on fresh/frozen pork and pork products, as well as on all processed pork and pork products that have not been heat- treated at a minimum temperature of 80 degrees Celsius during not less then 30 minutes. The restriction covers all pork and pork products manufactured and/or packaged after May 9, 2009. Mr. Mitchell, let me assure you of my highest esteem. N.A. Vlasov Deputy Head END TEXT. ¶5. (SBU) Russian Chief Veterinary Officer Nikolay Vlasov has been in contact with the agriculture office at Post on a daily basis with requests for updates on the number of H1N1 cases being confirmed in the United States and for results of any research that USDA is undertaking on whether the virus can spread from pig to pig or from pig to human. Vlasov has stated that he checks the CDC H1N1 website every day and reads news reports on the internet and other media outlets. It is clear that Vlasov is basing his decisions on whether or not to place temporary restrictions on meat and poultry on U.S. states solely on the number of human cases being confirmed on the CDC website. ¶6. (SBU) Post has stressed on numerous occasions to VPSS officials that the WHO, FAO, Codex Alimentarius Commission and the OIE have jointly stated that pork and pork products, handled in accordance with good hygienic practices, are not a source of infection. Since there is no evidence that the virus is transmitted by food, Russia's restrictions on meat and poultry products are not recommended by the OIE Terrestrial Animal Health Standards Code. Vlasov is Russia's representative on the OIE and is well aware of these facts. Nevertheless, his ability lift restrictions appear to be hindered by Kremlin officials who prefer to ignore science in order to "play it safe". As a result, it is unlikely that VPSS will be authorized to lift restrictions on U.S. meat and poultry products until the number of confirmed human cases of H1N1 in the United States begins to stabilize (REF C). RUBIN