U.S. to increase cattle, poultry and pear exports

   The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service today announced recent results of the agency’s efforts to support exports of U.S. agricultural products, and they’re expected help increase exports of U.S. cattle, poultry products, and pears by over $85 million a year.
   APHIS noted the opening of export markets to Belarus, Kazakhstan and Russia for U.S. day-old chicks and hatching eggs, increasing U.S. exports by an estimated $25 million a year.
   “This is a significant agreement for poultry exporters in the United States,” said USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack, in a statement. “For nearly 10 years, APHIS has pursued the opening of the Russian market to U.S. day-old chicks and hatching eggs, and now we have also secured access for these products to Belarus and Kazakhstan.”
   In February, APHIS veterinary health personnel and their counterparts in Moscow developed the export documentation that APHIS will issue for products shipped to the three countries. In 2010, Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus formed a Customs union, and are currently working to harmonize import requirements for cattle and other live animals and livestock products. The market access for poultry commodities represents the first of nearly 40 new agreements related to live animals and animal products that USDA will work to negotiate with the Customs union, APHIS said.
   Also, following direct negotiations with Iraqi animal health officials in February, APHIS officials reached agreement with their counterparts on export certification requirements for U.S. dairy cattle shipments to that country.
   “The Middle East is an important and emerging market for U.S. cattle exporters,” Vilsack said.
   The annual market value is expected to be more than $60 million. APHIS said it will work with exporters to ensure the exported cattle meet the terms of the agreement with Iraq.
   In addition, APHIS announced the arrival of the first shipment of U.S. Anjou pears to China. U.S. pears are now available for the first time ever to consumers in China.
   APHIS officials have worked in conjunction with industry, federal and international partners to open the Chinese market to U.S. grown pears. In 2012, U.S. and Chinese officials reached an agreement to accept exports of pears grown in the two countries.
   “APHIS worked diligently with their industry partners and our agriculture counterparts in China to realize this accomplishment,” Vilsack said. “This initial shipment of 6,615 boxes of U.S. pears was worth over $100,000, and brings with it the excitement of new market opportunities and continued success for this industry. We expect China to become one of the top five export destinations for U.S.-grown pears within the next two seasons.”