Senators urge reopening of US poultry exports to China

U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner , D-Virginia, and Thad Cochran, R-Mississippi, have led a bipartisan group of 37 senators in urging the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to push the Chinese government to end its ban on the sale of American poultry products.

Moi Cody | Freeimages.com
Moi Cody | Freeimages.com

U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner, D-Virginia, and Thad Cochran, R-Mississippi, have led a bipartisan group of 37 senators in urging the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to push the Chinese government to end its ban on the sale of American poultry products.

The ban was instituted by China in 2015 due to the detection of a wild duck with highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) and continues to be enforced today, which the senators say is in contradiction of World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) standards.

“Poultry is produced in almost every state. For communities and states that rely on a thriving and growing poultry industry, these agreements are essential to a strong and vibrant future,” the senators wrote in a letter to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue.

“The poultry industry provides thousands of high quality jobs in our rural communities and the reopening of the Chinese market would provide a huge boost for these rural areas. We encourage you to remain focused on the next steps to officially reopen the Chinese market as soon as possible,” added the senators.

At its peak, the value of poultry exports from the U.S. to China was $71 million for turkey and $722 million for chicken. The United States is the largest poultry producer in the world and the second biggest poultry meat exporter, with nearly 18 percent of its product shipped to foreign markets. 

Poultry industry praises senators for support

The senators who signed the letter have earned praise from poultry groups for their efforts to reopen trade.

The National Chicken Council and National Turkey Federation jointly released the following statement: “Poultry producers are pleased to see a third of the Senate, led by Senators Cochran and Warner, call for swift progress to end China’s ban on U.S. poultry. It is critical that we continue to develop an open trading relationship with the Chinese. The Senate’s strong statement on behalf of American poultry products makes clear balance and fairness must exist for a two-way open market with China.”

“As the Senators noted in their letter to the Secretary of Agriculture, ‘We understand and are encouraged that China has begun its animal health audit of the U.S. poultry industry.  Once this audit is completed, we encourage USDA to remain diligent in seeking final Chinese approval for U.S. poultry’s first successful shipment as quickly as possible. Poultry products are often part of the Chinese New Year celebrations, and our farmers would very much like to be able to offer their products during that time.’”

Senators to sign letter

Joining Sens. Warner and Cochran in signing the letter were: Sens. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wisconsin; Roy Blunt R-Missouri; John Boozman R-Arkansas; Richard Burr, R-North Carolina; Shelley Moore Capito, R-West Virginia; Tom Carper, D-Delaware; Chris Coons, D-Delaware; John Cornyn, R-Texas; Tom Cotton, R-Arkansas; Joe Donnelly, D-Indiana; Joni Ernst, R-Iowa; Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif.; Al Franken, D-Minnesota; Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa; Kamala Harris, D-California; Heidi Heitkamp, D-North Dakota; John Hoeven, R-North Dakota;  Johnny Isakson, R-Georgia; Tim Kaine, D-Virginia; Amy Klobuchar, D-Minnesota; Mike Lee, R-Utah; Claire McCaskill, D-Missouri; Jerry Moran, R-Kansas; David Perdue, R-Georgia; Pat Roberts, R-Kan.; Mike Rounds, R-South Dakota; Tim Scott, R-South Carolina; Richard Shelby, R-Alabama; Debbie Stabenow, D-Michigan; Luther Strange, R-Alabama; John Thune, R-South Dakota; Thom Tillis, R-North Carolina; Chris Van Hollen, D-Maryland; Roger Wicker, R-Mississippi; and Todd Young, R-Indiana. 

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