RUSSIAN VET SERVICE DELISTS ANOTHER

UNCLAS MOSCOW 000669 SENSITIVE SIPDIS USDA FAS FOR OCRA/KUYPERS; OSTA/BEAN, HAXTON; ONA/TING, SALLYARDS PASS FSIS DUTROW, HARRIES PASS APHIS SNOWDON STATE FOR EUR/RUS STATE PASS USTR FOR CHATTIN, HAFNER, S MURPHY BRUSSELS PASS APHIS/FERNANDEZ VIENNA PASS APHIS/MITCHELL E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAGR ETRD ECON WTO RS SUBJECT: RUSSIAN VET SERVICE DELISTS ANOTHER PORK FACILITY REF: A) HANSEN/DUTROW EMAIL 3/13/09, REF B) MOSCOW 08 3683, REF C) MOSCOW 08 207, REF D) MOSCOW 08 3368, REF E) MOSCOW 08 3181 SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: The Russian Federal Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance Service (VPSS) advised via official letter that another U.S. pork facility was delisted after tests results ostensibly showed the presence of food-borne pathogen Salmonella. The original scanned copy of the letter and courtesy translation were sent to FAS/FSIS on March 13, 2009 (REF A). An informal embassy translation of the letter follows. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (SBU) BEGIN TEXT: Moscow, March 03, 2009 No. FS-NV-2/1720 Assistant Administrator Office of International Affairs USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) Dear Dr. Ronald 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 tests for residues of harmful and prohibited substances, Salmonella was detected in the shipment of boneless pork exported from the United States to Russia (Protocols #435/B-299 of February 03, 2009; #435/B-659 of February 18, 2009),which is a violation of the requirements of the negotiated veterinary certificate for frozen pork meat and by-products exported to Russia for processing or retail sale. The product originated from U.S. establishment 360 (veterinary certificate #RFP-105950 of December 11, 2008). In this connection, VPSS informs you that temporary restrictions are imposed on the exports of products from the above-mentioned U.S. establishment to Russia starting March 16, 2009. VPSS requests that you conduct an investigation to discover how the contamination of pathogenic microorganisms occurred in the pork shipment to Russia. VPSS asks you to take urgent measures to prevent shipments of meat products from being sent to Russia that do not comply with Russian veterinary requirements and the negotiated veterinary certificate. Once the investigation has been completed, please inform VPSS with the results and the preventative measures FSIS will take to stop occurrences such as this one from happening again. Dr. Jones, let me assure you of my highest esteem. Attachment: On 3 pages (not included in this cable). Deputy Head N.A. Vlasov END TEXT. ¶3. (SBU) VPSS has stepped up attacks on U.S. pork imports over the last six months through multiple plant delists because of clerical errors on accompanying documentation (REF C) or the detection of antibiotic residues (REF D). Last fall, VPSS audited 39 pork plants resulting in the delisting of 19 plants for having ?too many deficiencies? (REF B). In addition, VPSS informed Post in late October 2008 that it had unilaterally withdrawn from the side letter agreement on plant inspections signed as part of the U.S.-Russia WTO market access agreement in November 2006 (REF E). Since then, VPSS has refused to relist dozens of U.S. meat and poultry plants requested by FSIS under the terms of the agreement. ¶4. (SBU) SBU) COMMENT: Post encourages USTR and USDA to seek higher-level intervention in Geneva during upcoming WTO accession SPS meetings to prod Russia into accepting international scientific standards as called for by international governing bodies such as the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) and Codex Alimentarius. Russia's current zero-tolerance level for food pathogens, like Salmonella, has no scientific basis and is unrealistically strict when dealing with animal carcasses. A country in the end-game of WTO accession should not be permitted to block trade by flouting the basic principles of the WTO SPS Agreement. END COMMENT. BEYRLE