Source: Rita Jane Gabbett, MEATINGPLACE, 6/9/15


The North American Meat Institute and the National Pork Producers Council are asking USDA to push China to move more quickly to reapprove 34 U.S. pork processing plants for export to that country.

“A majority of the 34 currently delisted establishments have submitted corrective action plans to the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) and are now in a position to resume trade with China. It is our understanding that some of these establishments submitted the required information over six months ago,” the groups wrote in a letter to USDA Deputy Under Secretary Alfred Almanza. “Restoration of this trade is a top priority for our members and we therefore urge you to transmit this information to AQSIS and to engage with your Chinese counterparts on any necessary follow up so that the process of re-enlistment can be expedited.” 

The delisted plant list includes facilities owned by many major U.S. pork processors, including Hormel Foods, Tyson Foods, Seaboard Foods, JBS, Indiana Packers and Smithfield Foods. About half of those plants were delisted in the last six months of 2014, with most of the others delisted in 2013 and a few going back as far as 2007, 2008 and 2009.  

“China is the world’s largest consumer of pork and we view access to this large and growing market to be essential to the continued growth and viability of the U.S. pork industry,” the letter stated. “We must express the urgency of restoring access for U.S. pork to this key market and we stand ready to provide whatever additional assistance your team might require to achieve this objective.”

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