Russia to reopen for U.S. Pork

Sen.Chuck Grassley

Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley recently released the following comment after it was announced that the United States and Russia have reached an agreement by which Russia will reopen its market to U.S. pork exports. Russia delisted numerous U.S. pork plants last year citing sanitary concerns.

Due to these delistings, U.S. exports slowed to a trickle at the end of 2009. Grassley is the ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, which has jurisdiction over international trade policy, and the only working family farmer on the Senate Agriculture Committee.

Here is Grassley's comment.

"Iowa pork producers have been hit by a near perfect storm. Low prices, high input costs, and some scientifically unjustified import barriers imposed by other countries have put significant pressure on many producers across the state. Russia's agreement to reopen its market is a welcome development that will begin to help some of our producers get through these tough times. I'll be monitoring Russia's compliance with this agreement to see that U.S. pork exports indeed start flowing again in commercial volumes."