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The following text is intended for general reference only. It is currently under review for accuracy and completeness, as well as formatting.
AGREED MINUTES FROM THE MEETING OF EXPERTS OF THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND THE GOVERNMENT OF THE RUSSIA FEDERATION REGARDING THE APPLICATION OF SANITARY MEASURES TO EXPORTS OF POULTRY PRODUCTS FROM THE UNITED STATES TO RUSSIA
March 25,1996
1. Representatives from the Government of the United States of America and the Government of the Russian Federation met in Washington D.C. on March 21-25, 1996, to discuss sanitary measures applied to the exportation of poultry products from the United States to Russia.
2. The representatives of the two Governments reached agreement regarding the matters in these minutes as well as the following documents, which are attached:
a. An amended "Veterinary Certificate for Poultry Meat Exported into the Russian Federation" ("Certificate");
b. A protocol to the Certificate ("Protocol"); and
c. A description of facilities eligible to export poultry to Russia and a framework for review of poultry processing and cold storage facilities ("Framework").
3. The representatives of the two Governments agreed that exports to Russia of poultry products from the United States will resume immediately under the terms of the amended Certificate and Protocol from poultry processing and cold storage facilities as described in the Framework.
4. The representatives of the two Governments agreed that they will consult promptly upon request of either side regarding the Certificate, Protocol, Framework, or any other matter relating to the application of sanitary measures with respect to trade in poultry products between the two countries.
5. The representatives of the two Governments agreed that, at least 60 days before the effective date of any new sanitary measure or any modification of a sanitary measure of either Government applicable to poultry, the representatives of the Government proposing the measure will provide to the representatives of the other Government a written copy of the proposal, together with an explanation of the proposal and its objectives. The representatives of the two Governments agreed that the 60-day advance notice need not be given in cases where immediate action is necessary for sanitary reasons. In such cases the representatives of the Government taking the action will inform the representatives of the other Government as soon as possible.
Catherine A. Novelli
Deputy Assistant United States
Trade Representative for
Central Europe and Eurasia
Office of the United States
Trade Representative
Vyacheslav M. Avilov
Head of the Veterinary Department
Ministry of Agriculture and Food
of the Russian Federation,
Chief Veterinarian the Russian Federation
PROTOCOL ON MEASURES FOR THE FULFILLMENT OF THE "VETERINARY CERTIFICATE FOR POULTRY MEAT EXPORTED INTO THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION"
March 25, 1996
1. The representatives of the Government of the United States of America and the Government of the Russian Federation agree to this protocol to the amended "Veterinary Certificate for Poultry Meat Exported into the Russian Federation" ("Certificate").
2. With respect to provisions in the Certificate regarding infectious poultry diseases, the following additional steps will be taken:
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) will expand its present system of control of the epizootic state of poultry products. The Government of the United States of America will certify the absence, as well as the presence, of the diseases indicated in the Certificate. USDA requires the states to report on the six diseases in the Certificate to the United States Animal Plant Health Inspection Service. USDA accredited industry veterinarians will certify that the birds on the farm are clinically healthy before being transferred to the processing facility and the state veterinarian will provide monthly certification that the six diseases in the Certificate have not occurred in the state. Veterinarians from the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service at the processing plants will receive this official information and will base the animal health certification on this expanded system. Representatives of the two Governments may mutually agree to modify the list of diseases listed in the Certificate, and may consider and mutually agree to take steps toward sub-regionalization of quarantine areas within a state. Also, representatives of the two Governments may mutually agree to adjust the quarantine period during which shipments are prohibited from a region after determination that a disease no longer exists in the region.
3. With respect to provisions in the Certificate regarding certain residues, the following additional steps will be taken:
In-plant residue sampling will be conducted on an individual farm basis with respect to farms producing poultry for export to Russia. Composite samples for heavy metals and pesticides will be sent to laboratories quarterly. Composite samples for antibiotics will be sent to laboratories monthly. Representatives of the two Governments may mutually agree to modify this frequency of sampling based on the risk probability of residue occurrence. Laboratory results will be sent to the Government of the United States Certifying Federal Veterinarian. The United States Food and Drug Administration prohibits the use of hormones in poultry feeds pursuant to section 512 of the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 360b(a)(1)).
4. With respect to provisions in the Certificate regarding Salmonella. the following additional steps will be taken:
Each consignment of poultry meat for export to Russia will be tested for Salmonella in accordance with the "Russian Medico-Biological Requirements and Sanitary Quality Norms Pertaining to Unprocessed Food Products and Food Products" (Ministry of Health, USSR, Official Edition. Moscow, 1990). Accordingly, a 25 gram sample will be aseptically collected from deep muscle tissue. It will be analyzed pursuant to the Russian State Standard entitled "Diagnosing Salmonella in Meat Products and Poultry" (Moscow 1993) or any internationally recognized equivalent. If the test results are negative, the consignment meets the Certificate requirements regarding Salmonella. If the test results are positive, five additional samples will be analyzed. With respect to those five additional samples. if the test results are positive for no more than one of the five samples, the consignment meets the Certificate requirements regarding Salmonella. If the test results are positive from more than one of those five samples, the consignment does not meet the Certificate requirements regarding Salmonella.
Ground poultry, mechanically de-boned poultry, and giblets for export to Russia will come from carcasses that have been tested for Salmonella on a consignment basis in accordance with the Russian Medico-Biological Requirements as described above. All ground poultry, mechanically de-boned poultry, and giblets exported to Russia from the United States will be labeled, in Russian, "for further industrial processing only."
5. Tests for heavy metals, pesticides, antibiotics, and Salmonella will be performed either by government laboratories or private laboratories. USDA will verify the reliability of test results by private laboratories.
Thomas J. Billy
Associate Administrator
Food Safety and Inspection Service
United States Department of Agriculture
Vyacheslav M. Avilov
Head of the Veterinary Department
Ministry of Agriculture and Food of the Russian Federation, Chief
Veterinarian of the Russian
Federation
FACILITIES ELIGIBLE FOR EXPORT OF POULTRY PRODUCTS TO RUSSIA AND FRAMEWORK FOR THE REVIEW OF POULTRY PROCESSING AND COLD STORAGE FACILITIES
March 25. 1996
1. Representatives of the Government of the United States of America and the Government of the Russian Federation agree to the following:
Agreed Criteria
2. As soon as possible, but no later than April 5, 1996, representatives of the two Governments will mutually agree on criteria, and their application, for all future reviews of poultry processing and cold storage facilities in the United States that export poultry to Russia.
Reviews Completed by Russian Reviewers as of March 25. 1996
3. Representatives of the Government of the Russian Federation have reviewed 128 poultry processing facilities and 53 poultry cold storage facilities in the United States, and have determined that 1 13 of those poultry processing facilities and 43 of those cold storage facilities meet the requirements for export of poultry to Russia. Accordingly, poultry from these II 3 poultry processing facilities and 43 cold storage facilities may be exported to Russia effective immediately if accompanied by a valid "Veterinary Certificate for Poultry Meat Exported into the Russian Federation," as amended in accordance with the protocol of March 25, 1996 ("Certificate"). Any of the other 15 poultry processing facilities and IO cold storage facilities will be eligible to export to Russia if the facility is reviewed by representatives of the Government of the United States of America and found to be in compliance with the agreed criteria. Any poultry shipped from those facilities to Russia must be accompanied by a valid Certificate. Representatives of the Government of the Russian Federation may selectively review ("spot check") a facility reviewed by the representatives of the Government of the United States of America (as further described in paragraph 7).
4. In addition, representatives of the Government of the Russian Federation consider that 74 of the 113 approved poultry processing facilities should be reviewed under the agreed criteria. The reviews will be conducted by the representatives of the Government of the United States of America. Representatives of the Government of the Russian Federation may spot check a facility reviewed by the representatives of the Government of the United States of America (as further described in paragraph 7).
Initial Joint Reviews by Russian and United States Reviewers
5. The Government of the United States of America has formally invited representatives of the Government of the Russian Federation to review all other poultry processing and cold storage facilities in the United States that have expressed a desire to export poultry to Russia, and which have not yet been reviewed by representatives of the Government of the Russian Federation. Pending such review, poultry from these facilities may be exported to Russia effective immediately, if accompanied by a valid Certificate. The review will be conducted jointly by representatives from the two Governments, in a cooperative manner using the agreed criteria. The reviewers will prepare a written report of their findings regarding each facility reviewed. If additional review is necessary, such review will be conducted by the representatives of the Government of the United States of America using the agreed criteria. If a facility is found not to be eligible to export poultry to Russia, any review to determine if the facility has become eligible to export poultry to Russia will be conducted by the representatives of the Government of the United States of America using the agreed criteria. Representatives of the Government of the Russian Federation may spot check a facility reviewed by the representatives of the Government of the United States of America (as further described in paragraph 7).
New Exporters
6. After completion of the reviews in paragraph 5, any poultry processing or cold storage facility that desires to begin exporting poultry to Russia will be initially reviewed jointly by the representatives of the Government of the Russian Federation and the Government of the United States of America, in a cooperative manner using the agreed criteria. Any subsequent review of such facilities will be conducted by the representatives of the Government of the United States of America. Representatives of the Government of the Russian Federation may spot check a facility reviewed by the representatives of the Government of the United States of America (as further described in paragraph 7).
Review by United States Reviewers, Spot Checks by Russian Reviewers
7. Following the completion of the initial reviews in paragraphs 5 and 6, the Government of the United States of America will be responsible for reviewing, using the agreed criteria, the poultry processing and cold storage facilities in the United States that export poultry to Russia, and for maintaining the list of those that meet the criteria. Representatives of the Government of the Russian Federation may spot check poultry processing facilities in the United States. Representatives of the Government of the Russian Federation have indicated that they expect to spot check each year 1 0 to 15 percent of poultry processing and cold storage facilities exporting to Russia. If the representatives of the Government of the Russian Federation consider that a facility they have spot checked does not meet the criteria, they will immediately inform the Government of the United States of America and will provide to the Government of the United States of America and the facility a written report of the review and the basis of their determination. The representatives of the Government of the Russian Federation may request, if necessary, that the Government of the United States of America remove the facility from its list of facilities that meet the criteria for exporting poultry to Russia. If so requested, the Government of the United States of America immediately will remove the facility from its list. The Government of the United States of America will be responsible for any subsequent review of the facility, using the agreed criteria, to determine if it may be returned to the list. Representatives of the Government of the Russian Federation may further spot check a facility returned to the list.
Thomas J. Billy
Associate Administrator
Food Safety and Inspection Service
United States Department of Agriculture
Vyacheslav M. Avilov
Head of the Veterinary Department
Ministry of Agriculture and Food
of the Russian Federation,
Chief Veterinarian of the
Russian Federation
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