TheMeatSite Newsletter - 19 December 2012

Welcome to this week's newsletter

EDITORIAL: Russia Clamps Down on Ractopamine Treated Products

The Russian veterinary authorities are at the centre of potential trade disputes with both the US and Brazil over the safety of beef imports into the country.

The Russian authorities are clamping down on US meat products because of concerns over the use of ractopamine in the animals as a growth promoter.

Russia is demanding that any imports of meat have to be certified by a government veterinary inspector before they can go on the Russian market.

If the meat products are not accompanied by the appropriate certificate, they will only be admitted onto the market after laboratory tests.

The lab testing system will be in place during the transition period during which the Russian Veterinary authority Rosselkhoznador said that the Veterinary Services of exporting countries must establish systems of laboratory checks for the presence of ractopamine in imported products and support each product consignment meant for the Russian Market and other CU countries with a laboratory act that testifies the absence of ractopamine in it.

US trade representative, Ron Kirk, attacked Russia for breaking the obligations of the World Trade Organisation and has called on Russia to restore market access.

The ban on the US products also became embroiled in a political dispute raising questions of retaliation because of the US stance on reported human rights abuses in Russia.

However, Rosselkhoznadzor said it was surprised that some analysts had linked the introduction of intensified controls for ractopamine in imported meat as retaliation for the "Sergei Magnitsky Rule of Law Accountability Act" - a bipartisan bill "to impose visa and banking restrictions on Russian officials implicated in human rights abuses" - adopted in the USA on 6 December.

At the beginning of the month a Brazilian agriculture delegation also visited Russia and became involved in a similar dispute over the use of ractopamine.

Brazil has issued assurances that its exports of meat products to Russia will be free of residues especially the beta-agonist ractopamine and beef exports to Russia are now expected to restart.

The assurances follow technical talks between specialists at the Russian veterinary authority Rosselkhoznador and the Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food Supply in Moscow this week.

During the meeting, questions were raised about the measures taken by the Brazilian authorities over the measures that are being taken to ensure that meat products supplied to the Russian Federation and the countries of the Customs Union do not contain ractopamine.

The Brazilian delegation said it is ready to meet the requirements of the Customs Union and the Russian Federation and supply documentary assurances.

However, the Brazilian government is still concerned that restrictions on meat products from three states were still in place this week.

With the holiday season next week, the next newsletter from TheMeatSite will be mailed out on 2 January.

On behalf of 5m Publishing, warmest seasonal wishes to all our readers for Christmas, the New Year and 2013.

Chris Harris

This Week's Feature Articles

We have 5 new features this week:

GLOBAL POULTRY TRENDS: Turkey Meat Trade Flat
There has been little change in the volume of turkey meat traded around the world in the first decade of the century, according to industry watcher, Terry Evans.

Automation for Greater Productivity and Food Safety
Automation in the meat-processing industry is an important issue. It ensures greater energy efficiency as well as productivity and quality. In addition, it improves hygiene conditions and relieves staff of the heavy physical work. Industrial robots are increasingly proving to be the key to effective solutions as opposed to costly specialised mechanical approaches.

Investment Opportunities for Ruminant Livestock in Developing Countries
Investment in the development of feed markets in Africa and South Asia could enable very large numbers of smallholders to participate more in the food value chains according to a report from the World Bank.

AVEC Annual Report 2012: Turkey
In its Annual Report 2012, the Association of Poultry Processors and Poultry Trade in the EU Countries, AVEC, offers an overview of the market situation for turkey, Salmonella testing of the meat and welfare of the birds.

Influence of Enclosure Size on Breast and Leg Muscle Fibres
Bodyweight gain was greater for broilers raised to 42 days with more space but other performance measures were unaffected, according to new research from Sao Paulo University in Brazil. The researchers found that space allowance for older birds affected hypertrophic growth and metabolic characteristics of breast and leg muscle fibres.