RUSSIAN VET SERVICE DELISTS TWO MORE

UNCLAS MOSCOW 000286 SENSITIVE SIPDIS USDA FAS FOR OCRA/KUYPERS; OSTA/HAMILTON, BEAN; ONA/TING, SALLYARDS, MURPHY PASS FSIS DUTROW, HARRIES PASS APHIS MITCHELL STATE FOR EUR/RUS STATE PASS USTR FOR CHATTIN, MURPHY, HAFNER BRUSSELS PASS APHIS/FERNANDEZ VIENNA PASS APHIS/TANAKA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAGR ETRD ECON WTO RS SUBJECT: RUSSIAN VET SERVICE DELISTS TWO MORE POULTRY FACILITIES REF: A) HANSEN/DUTROW EMAIL 1/30/09 SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: The Russian Federal Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance Service (VPSS) advised via official letter that 2 more U.S. poultry facilities were delisted after tests results ostensibly showed the presence of antibiotics and food-borne pathogen Listeria. In addition, VPSS informed that they placed 2 additional U.S. poultry facilities on a "watch list" after pharmaceutical drug coccidiostatic Nicarbasin was detected during routine monitoring at the port of entry. The original scanned copy of the letter and courtesy translation were sent to FAS/FSIS on January 30, 2009 (REF A). An informal embassy translation of the letter follows. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (SBU) BEGIN TEXT: Moscow, January 29, 2009 No. FS-NV-2/547 Assistant Administrator Office of International Affairs USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) Dr. Ronald K. Jones The Federal Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance Service (VPSS) extends its regards to the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) and informs you of the following: During routine monitoring of residues of harmful and prohibited substances, tests revealed the antibiotic Doxicillin and the pathogen Listeria in poultry exported from the United States to the Russian Federation (Protocol No. 2677 of December 18, 2008; No. 884 of December 1, 2008; Protocol No. 884(4) M/A of December 15, 2008) that is in violation of the requirements of the negotiated veterinary certificate for poultry exported to the Russian Federation. The products were manufactured at the U.S. establishments P-20322 and P-20245 (veterinary certificates RFA-035236 of October 06, 2008 and RFA-216403 of September 27, 2008). In this connection, VPSS informs you that temporary restrictions are imposed on the exports of products from the mentioned U.S. establishments to the Russian Federation starting February 6, 2009. In addition we would like to inform you that coccidiostatic Nicarbasin was revealed in the shipments of poultry originating from U.S. establishments P-6666 and P-308 and shipped to the Russian Federation with veterinary certificate RFA-035235 dated October 06, 2008 (Protocols 2671 and 2680 of December 18, 2008). VPSS asks FSIS and APHIS to collaboratively develop a timetable of applications of pharmaceuticals during treatment or prophylactics in poultry flocks at the U.S. poultry breeding farms that supply poultry processing facilities with birds for slaughter in order to provide enough period of time for the removal of the medicines from live bird before slaughtering. From its side, VPSS will conduct mandatory tests on all products that are exported to the Russian Federation from U.S. establishments P-6666 and P- ¶308. Therefore, VPSS asks you to conduct an investigation of the above-mentioned cases and take measures for preventing the shipments of products to the Russian Federation that are not in compliance with the requirements of the Russian Federation and negotiated veterinary certificate. Please inform VPSS with the results of your investigation and the preventing measures you will take to rectify the situation. Dr. Jones, let me assure you of my highest esteem. Attachment: on 16 pages (not included in cable). Deputy Head N.A. Vlasov END TEXT. ¶3. (SBU) The antibiotic (Doxicillin) claimed by VPSS to have been detected in product from one of the delisted poultry facilities has not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for use in poultry production in the United States. The subject company's chief veterinary official confirmed with Post that it had never used Doxicillin in its operations and that no tetracycline group antibiotic has been used in any of their farms since April 2008. In addition, the company has never received a positive test result for Salmonella or Listeria through their independent, third party USDA- approved reference laboratory over a period of several years. ¶4. (SBU) The delisted facilities mentioned in the letter belong to Keystone Foods based in Alabama. Post recommended to Keystone representatives to undertake an internal investigation and prepare a response to the action being undertaken by VPSS. The company has complied and sent the documentation to Post on February 6. Post requests that FSIS prepare a letter to VPSS and attach the documentation received from Keystone Foods with a request to have the facilities relisted ASAP. The results of the Keystone Foods internal investigation raise serious doubts as to the validity of VPSS' findings of antibiotics and Lysteria in the company's shipment to Russia. BEYRLE