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