Source:  Tom Johnston, MEATINGPLACE.COM, 10/4/10

Russia on Friday re-listed three more U.S. poultry plants as eligible exporters as Moscow plans to begin inspections of U.S. facilities to ensure they are complying with a new export agreement.

The latest round of approvals includes Mountaire Farms Inc.’s Lumber Bridge, N.C., plant (product produced on or after Sept. 28) and Koch Foods’ Forest, Miss. (on or after Aug. 27), and Cumming, Ga. (on or after Aug. 20), facilities, USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection service said on its website.

Since meeting an agreement with Washington to lift its ban, Russia has approved 83 of 87 U.S. poultry establishments that complied with Russian requirements, according to a report by Ria Novosti.

Russian and U.S. sanitary officials said they are set to begin random inspections of 33 U.S. plants, while the country’s chief food safety official said initial shipments of U.S. product have complied with Moscow’s requirements, Ria Novosti reported.

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