Source: Tom Johnston, MEATINGPLACE, 10/23/15


The Republic of China will resume imports of pork from 14 U.S. plants and cold storage facilities that were banned, in some cases, for more than a year due to ractopamine findings, USDA confirmed.

The agency and its Chinese counterparts reached an agreement allowing pork supplies from six processing plants and eight cold storage warehouses, USDA said in a statement emailed to Meatingplace.

“This will allow a greater share of U.S. pork and product exports to China in the coming months,” the agency said.

China prohibits ractopamine, a drug used in feed to help pigs gain muscle. Among the banned facilities were those owned by Tyson Foods, Hormel Foods and Triumph Foods, as listed on USDA’s website.

USDA is still working on translation to ensure it has the complete list of approved facilities, and hopes to officially announce them next week.

The agency, meanwhile, is urging processors and cold storage operators wanting to ship product to China to come into compliance with either of its ractopamine control programs — the “Never Fed Beta Agonist” program or the “Ractopamine-free” program.

U.S. pork exports to China were valued at more than $474 million in 2014. China is the world’s top consumer of pork and imports more pork than any other country.

“China's recognition of strong regulatory controls and the high quality of U.S. pork is a positive step in the relationship we are forging with China to bring mutually-beneficial food and agricultural trade to Americans and Chinese alike,” USDA said. “This renewed access for American exports is the culmination of years of hard work by USDA staff and will mean a  significant boost in sales for American pork producers.”

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